Psalms 90 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Psalm 90

Book Four

From Everlasting to Everlasting

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90:1   Lord, you have been our dwelling place¹
    in all generations.
2   Before the mountains were brought forth,
    or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
    from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3   You return man to dust
    and say, “Return, O children of man!”²
4   For a thousand years in your sight
    are but as yesterday when it is past,
    or as a watch in the night.
5   You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,
    like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6   in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
    in the evening it fades and withers.
7   For we are brought to an end by your anger;
    by your wrath we are dismayed.
8   You have set our iniquities before you,
    our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9   For all our days pass away under your wrath;
    we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10   The years of our life are seventy,
    or even by reason of strength eighty;
  yet their span³ is but toil and trouble;
    they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11   Who considers the power of your anger,
    and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12   So teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13   Return, O LORD! How long?
    Have pity on your servants!
14   Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
    that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15   Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16   Let your work be shown to your servants,
    and your glorious power to their children.
17   Let the favor⁴ of the Lord our God be upon us,
    and establish the work of our hands upon us;
    yes, establish the work of our hands!

Footnotes

[1] 90:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts (compare Septuagint) our refuge
[2] 90:3 Or of Adam
[3] 90:10 Or pride
[4] 90:17 Or beauty

Commentary

The majesty of God and the frailty of man - a Psalm of Moses.

v1: Man needs God as his dwelling place. He is eternal and strong, and man is so weak. Compare Deut 33.27.

v2: God is eternal, "from everlasting to everlasting"; past to future, the same unchangeable God.

v3-4: Human life is brief, and even a thousand years is like one day to God. Time does not affect the One who is outside of time, 2 Pet 3.8.

v5-6: Man is frail, and quickly passes on, like the grass, Ps 89.47.

v7-8: Our problem is our sins, contrasting with God's perfection. How foolish to spend our transitory life in sin and unbelief, subject to God's anger.

v9-10: The shortness of our lives.

v11: God does know how we live; we must avoid becoming subject to His anger and wrath.

v12: We need to realise that our lives are short. We must "number our days aright", and use them properly.

v13-17: In our numbered days, we must depend on God;

have compassion on your servants;
satisfy us early with your unfailing love;
make us glad, balancing joy with affliction;
may the favour of God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands, in fruitful living.

Thus, our lives can be used in serving Christ.