27. Prolongeth days. Compare Ex. 20:12; Ps. 91:16; Prov. 3:2; 9:11. The promise of longevity is conditional. The history of human experience reveals many exceptions. Yet a good life, lived in the fear of the Lord, so that the anxieties that break down the nervous forces are excluded by a living experience of faith, naturally tends to longevity (see MH 281). Similarly, a life without faith, whether actively sinful or not, tends to be shortened by fretfulness and worry. Selfish indulgence contributes to the deterioration of life forces (see Ps. 107:17, 18.
The question may be raised, How does the centenarian who has indulged in unhealthful practices throughout his long life attain to his great age in good health, while the conscientious observer of the rules of health may, at a much younger age, be able to keep himself in only fairly good health? The answer in part lies in the fact that men are born into the world with constitutions of varying virility inherited from their ancestors. Some inherit a constitution so hardy that they are able to abuse it throughout life, seemingly with impunity, while others must exercise great care in order to keep in reasonably good condition. Another factor is the childhood development and environment. These do much to build up or break down the constitution before a person is old enough to care for his own health (see 3T 140, 141).