Psalms 102:11

My days [are] like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

My days {H3117} are like a shadow {H6738} that declineth {H5186}; and I am withered {H3001} like grass {H6212}.

My days decline like an evening shadow; I am drying up like grass.

My days are like lengthening shadows, and I wither away like grass.

My days are like a shadow that declineth; And I am withered like grass.

Commentary

Commentary on Psalms 102:11 (KJV)

Psalms 102:11 is a poignant expression of deep personal suffering and the fleeting nature of human existence, articulated by an afflicted psalmist. The verse reads: "My days [are] like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass."

Context

Psalm 102 is titled "A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD." This psalm is a lament, a cry from someone in profound distress, likely facing severe illness, persecution, or exile. The psalmist describes their physical and emotional decay, feeling isolated and abandoned by God. This particular verse encapsulates the psalmist's sense of their life rapidly diminishing, emphasizing their vulnerability and impending end. It sets a stark contrast with the psalmist's later appeal to God's eternal and unchanging nature (Psalm 102:27).

Key Themes

  • The Transience of Life: The primary theme is the brevity and fragility of human life. The imagery of a "shadow that declineth" vividly portrays days slipping away quickly, like evening shadows lengthening and then vanishing with the setting sun. This reflects a common biblical understanding of the fleeting nature of human life.
  • Decay and Suffering: To be "withered like grass" speaks to physical and emotional decay, a loss of vitality and strength. In arid climates, grass quickly withers under the sun, becoming dry and lifeless, a powerful metaphor for rapid deterioration.
  • Profound Despair: The verse communicates a deep sense of despair and helplessness, characteristic of a lament where the individual feels their life force draining away.

Linguistic Insights

  • The phrase "shadow that declineth" comes from the Hebrew tsel natah (צל Χ Χ˜Χ”). Tsel means "shadow," and natah means "to stretch out," "to incline," or "to lengthen." It specifically evokes the image of a shadow growing longer and fainter as evening approaches, symbolizing the end of the day and, by extension, the end of life.
  • "Withered like grass" uses the Hebrew yabesh chatzir (Χ™Χ‘Χ© Χ—Χ¦Χ™Χ¨). Chatzir refers to grass or green herbs, and yabesh means "to dry up" or "to wither." This imagery is prevalent in scripture to denote the fragility and mortality of humanity, especially in contrast to God's enduring word and being (as seen in Isaiah 40:7).

Practical Application

Psalms 102:11 offers a profound reflection on human mortality and suffering. It reminds us:

  • To Acknowledge Frailty: This verse validates the human experience of feeling weak, vulnerable, and aware of our limited time. It encourages empathy for those who are suffering and feel their strength failing.
  • To Seek Eternal Perspective: By contrasting human brevity with God's eternity, the psalm implicitly calls believers to place their hope not in fleeting earthly life but in the unchanging nature of God. Even in our most desperate moments, God remains.
  • To Live Purposefully: Understanding the brevity of life can motivate us to live each day with purpose, recognizing the preciousness of time and the importance of our relationship with God.
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Cross-References

  • Job 14:2 (5 votes)

    He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

  • Psalms 109:23 (5 votes)

    I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.

  • Psalms 144:4 (4 votes)

    Man is like to vanity: his days [are] as a shadow that passeth away.

  • 1 Peter 1:24 (3 votes)

    ΒΆ For all flesh [is] as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

  • Ecclesiastes 6:12 (2 votes)

    For who knoweth what [is] good for man in [this] life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

  • Psalms 39:5 (2 votes)

    Behold, thou hast made my days [as] an handbreadth; and mine age [is] as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state [is] altogether vanity. Selah.

  • Psalms 39:6 (2 votes)

    Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up [riches], and knoweth not who shall gather them.