Psalm 144 — Changing Lives, Unchanging Hope — Aneel Aranha

Praise be to the LORD my Rock,
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples under me.
LORD, what are human beings that you care for them,
mere mortals that you think of them?
They are like a breath;
their days are like a fleeting shadow.
Part your heavens, LORD, and come down;
touch the mountains, so that they smoke.
Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy;
shoot your arrows and rout them.
Reach down your hand from on high;
deliver me and rescue me
from the mighty waters,
from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful.
I will sing a new song to you, my God;
on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,
to the One who gives victory to kings,
who delivers his servant David.
From the deadly sword deliver me;
rescue me from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful.
Then our sons in their youth
will be like well-nurtured plants,
and our daughters will be like pillars
carved to adorn a palace.
Our barns will be filled
with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
by tens of thousands in our fields;
our oxen will draw heavy loads.
There will be no breaching of walls,
no going into captivity,
no cry of distress in our streets.
Blessed is the people of whom this is true;
blessed is the people whose God is the LORD.

It is fascinating how David begins by praising God as his fortress, his stronghold, and his deliverer, but then suddenly shifts to a reflection on the fleeting nature of human life? He exclaims, "LORD, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them? They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow."

This contrast is striking. On one hand, we have the unchanging nature of God, and on the other, the ever changing nature of human existence. It's a theme that David touches upon multiple times in the Psalms, but here it's particularly poignant. Why? Because in the midst of recognizing our own fragility, David is also acknowledging the steadfastness of God.

The apostle James reminds us, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14). Just like David, James points out the fleeting nature of our lives. But there's hope, and it's found in the eternal nature of God and the salvation offered through Jesus Christ.

The New Testament consistently teaches that while our earthly lives are temporary, our spiritual lives, through Christ, have the potential for eternity. This is the hope that anchors us amidst the uncertainties of life. While we may be like a fleeting shadow, through Christ, we're offered a place in God's eternal kingdom.

So, as we sing this psalm, let's not just focus on the transient nature of our existence, but also on the eternal hope we have in God. And like David, let us lean into the eternal strength and promise of God.

God bless you.