This is an idiom. Possible meanings are that 1) he thought that he would die soon, or 2) he lay in the dust because he was very sad, or 3) he realized that he desired the worthless things of the earth. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])
This is an idiom. Here "life" refers to purpose and significance, not just biological life. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])
# by your word
"according to your promise"
# my ways
What a person does or how he behaves is spoken of as if it were a road or way. AT: "what I have done" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])