Life expectancy in ancient Israel wasn't exactly 100. Death was a constant, and often unknown, threat. After all, the ancients didn't have explanations for disease, weather, or other fatal phenomena that we now think about in scientific terms. The Psalmists took this and ran with it, talking about death in naturalistic terms. And don't forget, when you die, you go silent, meaning you can no longer praise God.
Questions About Death
- Is death portrayed the same way throughout the Psalms? Is it something to be feared? Welcomed?
- What is man supposed to do with the knowledge that he is mortal? Does Psalms answer that question? How does man's mortality change his relationship with God?
- How does the natural imagery affect the way we understand death in Psalms?