Vain…Psalm 60

 Vain…Psalm 60

 Oh, grant us help against the foe,for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly;it is he who will tread down our foes.

Ps.60.11-12

I was struck the last two verses of Psalm 60…the word “vain”…

Reading the definition, whoa…

“Definition of vain

1

: having or showing undue or excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements : CONCEITED

2

: marked by futility or ineffectualness : UNSUCCESSFUL, USELESS

vain efforts to escape

3

: having no real value : IDLE, WORTHLESS

vain pretensions

4

archaic : FOOLISH, SILLY

in vain

1

: to no end : without success or result

her efforts were in vain”

 Merriam Webster

Vain is found  58 times from Exodus to 1 Timothy, not all with the above definition…some using the use of God’s name in vain…

 “But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you. And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins, and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit.

Lev.26.14-20

Basically, reading through many of the references, seeking anything other than the true God, is vain, foolish, useless, of no value…nothing compares at any level…

 Unless the Lord builds the house,those who build it labor in vain.Unless the Lord watches over the city,the watchman stays awake in vain.

Ps.127.1

 “But they say, ‘That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

Jer.18.12

 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’”

Jer.23.16-17

 Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help;in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save.

Lam.4.17

 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.

Jonah.2.8

 “Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts?

Mal.3.13-14

 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips,but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me,teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Matt.15.7-9

Etc..

Actually, I didn’t realize there were so many very harsh, imploring,  and convicting verses…just using that simple word “vain”…but when you realize that God’s desire is that none should perish, that we recognize Him for who He rightfully is…He wants our attention..He doesn’t want us to foolishly choose vain things over Him… frittering away the real for the false…

Thank YOU….