The Days of My Years

“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.  So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” –Psalm 90:10, 12 (KJV).

The Psalmist, in talking about length of a person’s life span, seemed slightly pessimistic as he considered the promised “threescore and ten,” or maybe “by reason of strength” one’s years might extend to fourscore. He still considered that many of those days were filled with “labor and sorrow.”  You will note in this passage, too, the “fly away” phrase, one made popular by the words of the gospel song written by Albert E. Brumley in 1929 and said to be one of the most-recorded gospel songs written.  To “fly away,” to escape this present life with its hardships seems to be the aim both in the Psalmist’s message and in Mr. Brumley’s gospel song.  But  it is as if the Psalmist, in retrospect, reconsiders and determines to listen to God’s teachings (and obey them implied) so as to “number…days and apply…heart to wisdom.”  Being somewhat in a contemplative (and poetic) mood, I share with you here a poem I wrote on this theme entitled “The Days of My Years”:

When I grew up on my father’s farm

The years ahead stretched long;

But soon I was gone from the mountain farm

To follow my calling, my song.

Year turned to year with living and work;

A balance of sorrow and joy I found.

Hardly did I realize how short is life

Until fourscore years rolled around.

If I could in a verse tell the secret of years

That roll quickly to 80’s great toll,

I’d say that to travel with God as guide

Is the answer to reaching life’s goal.

For whether one dies in youthful years

Or lives to a great circle in time,

It’s not the number of years life accrues

But whether you’ve touched the Divine.

Let us thus learn to number our days

That God’s love emanates from the heart;

And the work of one’s hands is established

To make a difference before we depart.

Thank you for sharing in my life,

Your love and friendship I treasure;

Consider that the very best lies ahead:

God’s plans for eternity without measure.                 -Ethelene Dyer Jones  02.14.2013