The Psalmist is in anguish, but he refuses to speak in the presence of the wicked. His refusal to speak, his utter silence, causes pent-up zeal to increase his anguish until he is forced into utterance.
But what, we may ask, is this thing that he wanted to conceal from the wicked? What is it that he is finally forced to utter? Essentially, he says that “Man’s life is but a breath and it is spent in vain.”
We might consider this to be a fairly harmless statement and hardly worth the effort of withholding, let alone the effort of utterance. But let us reflect for a moment…Does this not strike at the very root of the belief system held by the wicked? It turns their entire world-view upside down. Their value lies in the premise of personal immortality and a desire for longevity. Not merely longevity, but (these days) also the desperate desire to retain their youth.
The wicked, against all evidence to the contrary, seem to hold the belief that they themselves will live forever. They affirm meaning in their lives through futile and frantic industry and accumulation of wealth. No wonder, then, that the Psalmist was unwilling to lapse into utterance. Unwilling to state outright that their entire worldview is corrupt and without foundation.
But there is another reason the Psalmist wishes to remain silent (verse 9). He is suffering the scourge of the Almighty. He pleads for God to look away from him so his heart may rejoice once again. How hard it is for believers when we are convicted of sin. When we feel the heavy hand of God’s displeasure on our hearts. When we feel like strangers in His household, strangely out-of-place, yet still desiring the closeness and nearness of His presence.
Here the Psalmist is torn between wanting closeness with God and at the same time fearing the closeness of the illumination of His presence. Fearing God’s fierce light and what it might expose lurking in the shadows of his heart.
What is God saying in this Psalm?
We may sometimes feel like aliens, when we go through periods of desolation and when the Spirit shows us our transgressions in the stark reality of His unbearable truth. We may beg Him to turn away his face. The anguish of desire for His comfort, yet the intense fear of exposure!
Here in beautiful counterpoint, the Psalmist begs Him to “hear my cry for help” in verse 12, but also to “look away from me, that I may rejoice again” in verse 13. The very help and comfort we hanker for is at the same time the very thing we cannot bear.
Thankfully, Christ has provided a way to resolve this seemingly insurmountable dilemma. Through His grace and His blood sacrifice we are able to draw near to God without fear. Rather than living as aliens, we have become brothers and sons through Christ. We dwell as naturalised citizens in the company of the Lord, may His name be praised forever!
Delight in the Lord 