---

I. DAVID RECORDS HIS VIEW OF HUMAN LIFE.

1. He speaks of life as a walk. He seems to have had in his mind the idea of a great procession: "Surely every man walketh in a vain show." Such things were more common in Oriental countries than they are with us; but whether it is the Lord Mayor's show or any other, it is a picture of what this mortal life is. Among some classes of society, show is everything; they must "keep up appearances." Just so; and, all the world over, that is about all there is — "appearances" — a vain show. I wish we could get a hold of that idea as a practical thing, that everything we can see is shadow, but what we cannot see is the real substance.

2. He speaks of life as a worry. "Surely they are disquieted." So they are. How few people are so free from the spirit of the things of this world as to pass through this life quietly. See how they begin life, eager for its joys, its honours, its wealth. Note how they plod, and toil, and labour. How much of brain-work is done by the light of the midnight oil! Many a man agitates his mind, and wearies his spirit, till his life is lost in finding a livelihood. They are trying to live, and lo! life is gone; and they wake up, and wonder how it is that they have let it go, and have not really lived at all.

3. David passes on to speak of life as a success; and he mentions those who were supposed to have been successful in life; though, mark you, it is not success in life, after all, to accumulate riches. "He heapeth up riches." That is all. lie does not partake of them, he does not use them, he merely heaps them up. He accumulates without enjoyment. "He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them." He leaves his wealth without pleasure. I am sure that there is many a man who would turn in his grave if he knew what was being done with his hard-earned wealth.

II. DAVID EXPRESSES HIS OWN EMOTIONS IN CONTEMPLATION OF THESE THINGS.

1. He has come to a decision. "And now, Lord." I like that mode of speech; it is a great thing to come to God with a "now." Every moment is solemn if we would but make it so; but there are certain turning-points in life, when a man has had his eyes opened to see the fallacy of his former pursuits, when, stopping where the roads meet, he looks up to the signpost, and says, "And now, Lord, guide me; help me to take the right turn, to eschew the shadow, and to seek after that which is substantial. Now, Lord."

2. I also like this expression of David's emotions, because he consults with God: "Every man walketh in a vain show; but," saith he, "and now, Lord, there is no vanity with Thee, no deception, no delusion with Thee, behold, I turn away from this mirage, which just now deluded me, to Thee, my God, the Rock of my salvation, and I look to Thee. And now, Lord."

3. He is a man whose hope is in God.

III. DAVID OFFERS AN APPROPRIATE AND NEEDFUL PRAYER, "Deliver me," etc. —

1. From sins committed.

2. From the assaults of sin.

3. From peculiarly dangerous sins.

4. From deserved dishonour.

5. From undeserved defamation.

6. From spiritual disappointment.

7. From dreadful taunts at the last.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

---

---

KJV: 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.

WEB: "Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn't know who shall gather.