Vanity of Vanities

15 of 22 from Psalm 119

Psalms 119:113-120  SAMECH. I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.  (114)  Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.  (115)  Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.  (116)  Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.  (117)  Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.  (118)  Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.  (119)  Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.  (120)  My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

            Our Psalmist begins with the statement, “I hate vain thoughts.”  He follows with God IS his hiding place.

Psalms 61:4  I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

Our Psalmist trusts the safety of God’s Arms (wings.)  He reminisces about his Hope in God’s Word, and asks God to uphold him that he might live.  He begs God to help him from doubts concerning his belief in God.

            Yet, the subject of this portion of Psalm 119 shows how much King David hates “vain thoughts.”  (David’s son Solomon came to the end of his life saying all he had accomplished was vanity.)

(Definition of vanity is:  emptiness, untruth.)

                         

Ecclesiastes 1:2  Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

            So, the Son failed where the Father excelled.  This brings up the question, “What are vain thoughts?”  “Have you ever spent time where you were actually “twiddling” your thumbs?”  Your mind was essentially blank, no thoughts worth discussing.  We might exclaim, “I am bored.”  (Those are times we sit watching a show on TV that we have seen more times than we want to count.)  These times are “vain thoughts. ”

            Another time we experience “vain thoughts” are those times that “our mouth gets out of gear,” and blasphemy of God’s Name soars to new heights by uttering those cuss words. 

Deuteronomy 5:11  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Yet, cussing isn’t the only way we take God’s Name in vain.  An example:  our amazement, (good or bad,) we speak excitedly and utter one of His Names.  That, regardless of opinion, is using “the name of the LORD thy God in vain.”   We see in the same verse that God “will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”  (So, it is very important to agree with King David and “hate vain thoughts.”) 

            All of God’s Names should ALWAYS be in Reverence, with Worship and Holiness.  Our conversation should never, never include God’s / Jesus’ Names in common “street language.”

            So “Reader, has vanity gotten control of your life?”  Satan loves keeping you in vain thoughts thereby separating you from God.  Gain control, eliminate, and hate those vain thoughts.

Bro John R. E Chastain

Retired Pastor

Wylie, Texas       

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