“As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children…” (Psalm 103:15-17).

“All flesh is grass and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:6-8 cf. 1 Peter 1:24-25).

“The rich… as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat that it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man will fade away in his pursuits.” (James 1:10-11).

These passages are closely related. Let us consider…

Man’s Life

Man’s life on earth is brief. It is compared to grass and flowers. Guy N. Woods suggests that, “The ‘grass’ of the passage (choroton) is from a comprehensive term for vegetation; and ‘the flower of the grass’ (anthos) does not refer to the bloom but to wildflowers which often grow up in the midst of the grass” (Gospel Advocate, A Commentary on James by Guy N. Woods, p. 50). Green vegetation and seasonal wildflowers do not last long in hot dry climates. Consider the roadsides of Texas. Green grass, bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush may appear in the spring but fade away in the summer heat. Life is brief. Each man has his season on earth. Twice in the book of James we are reminded of the brevity of life (James 1:10-11; 4:13-14). Even a rich man’s life will not last on earth (James 1:10-11).

Furthermore, God can also bring a man’s life to a close, if He chooses. “The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the LORD blows upon it” (Isaiah 40:7). Man is weak before God.

God’s Mercy

“But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them” (Psalm 103:17-18). These words teach: (1) God is enduring. He does not come to an end a man’s earthly life does. (2) It matters how one lives. This is true in every generation. He has “mercy” (NKJV), “loving kindness” (NASB), or “steadfast love” (ESV) on those who fear and obey Him. The Hebrew word “chesed” is difficult to translate. It carries the idea of “loyal love” or “the benefits of being in a covenant relationship.”

God’s Word

“But the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Men come and go. However, God’s word endures. Homer Hailey commented, “What a glorious claim and assurance!… What a sustaining assurance it is to know that there is something permanent, something enduring! The character of God, the word of God, and the promises of God shall never fail but shall endure eternally” (Hailey, A Commentary on Isaiah, p. 333).