Psalm 90
1Lord, you have been our dwelling place for all generations. 2Before the mountains were born, before you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God. 3You turn man to destruction, saying, “Return, you children of men.” 4For a thousand years in your sight are just like yesterday when it is past, like a watch in the night. 5You sweep them away as they sleep. In the morning they sprout like new grass. 6In the morning it sprouts and springs up. By evening, it is withered and dry. 7For we are consumed in your anger. We are troubled in your wrath. 8You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9For all our days have passed away in your wrath. We bring our years to an end as a sigh. 10The days of our years are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty years; yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for it passes quickly, and we fly away. 11Who knows the power of your anger, your wrath according to the fear that is due to you? 12So teach us to count our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 13Relent, Yahweh! How long? Have compassion on your servants! 14Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen evil. 16Let your work appear to your servants, your glory to their children. 17Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us. Establish the work of our hands for us. Yes, establish the work of our hands.
Introduction
Psalms 90
The foregoing psalm is supposed to have been penned as late as the captivity in Babylon; this, it is plain, was penned as early as the deliverance out of Egypt, and yet they are put close together in this collection of divine songs. This psalm was penned by Moses (as appears by the title), the most ancient penman of sacred writ. We have upon record a praising song of his (Ex. 15, which is alluded to Rev 15:3), and an instructing song of his, Deu. 32. But this is of a different nature from both, for it is called a prayer. It is supposed that this psalm was penned upon occasion of the sentence passed upon Israel in the wilderness for their unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion, that their carcases should fall in the wilderness, that they should be wasted away by a series of miseries for thirty-eight years together, and that none of them that were then of age should enter Canaan. This was calculated for their wanderings in the wilderness, as that other song of Moses (Deu 31:19, Deu 31:21) was for their settlement in Canaan. We have the story to which this psalm seems to refer, Num. 14. Probably Moses penned this prayer to be daily used, either by the people in their tents, or, at lest, by the priests in the tabernacle-service, during their tedious fatigue in the wilderness. In it, I. Moses comforts himself and his people with the eternity of God and their interest in him (Psa 90:1, Psa 90:2). II. He humbles himself and his people with the consideration of the frailty of man (Psa 90:3-6). III. He submits himself and his people to the righteous sentence of God passed upon them (Psa 90:7-11). IV. He commits himself and his people to God by prayer for divine mercy and grace, and the return of God's favour (Psa 90:12-17). Though it seems to have been penned upon this particular occasion, yet it is very applicable to the frailty of human life in general, and, in singing it, we may easily apply it to the years of our passage through the wilderness of this world, and it furnishes us with meditations and prayers very suitable to the solemnity of a funeral.
A Prayer of Moses the man of God.
Cross-references: Rev 15:3 · Deut 31:19 · Deut 31:21 · Ps 90:1 · Ps 90:2 · Ps 90:3 · Ps 90:7 · Ps 90:12