Psalm 90 – Generations
Psalm 90 – generations, tells of how God, our dwelling place throughout all generations, is the master of time. Beautifully, the psalm speaks of the vagaries of the human life span. What does it say to us today?
Psalm 90
Psalm 90 is the only psalm attributed to Moses. The superscript reads: “A Prayer of Moses the man of God.” Simple, yet an apt description of Moses who was a man of God, “chosen of God, inspired of God, honored of God, and faithful to God in all his house.” Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 90
It begins with a statement about our God.
“Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (1-2)
God existed before anything. From eternity past through eternity future, God exists, independent of all His creation. This is followed by a reflection on human life, in a passage that resembles the wisdom of the book of Ecclesties.
“You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—they are like the new grass of the morning:
In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.” (3-6)
The time period most likely connected to this psalm is that of Numbers 20. “The historical setting is probably best understood by the incidents recorded in Numbers 20: (1) the death of Miriam, Moses’ sister; (2) the sin of Moses in striking the rock in the wilderness, which kept him from entering the Promised Land; and (3) the death of Aaron, Moses’ brother.” (James Montgomery Boice) Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 90 The death of his sister and brother would certainly lead to reflection on life and death.
God’s Anger
Moses then reflects on God’s anger.
“We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation.
You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan.” (7-9)
As one commentator states: “In the wilderness Moses and the people of Israel felt consumed by God’s anger and terrified by His wrath. It must have been crushing for Moses to see a whole generation melt away in the wilderness, dying away under the judgment of God.” Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 90
He goes on to reflect on the number of our days.
“Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.” (10)
Though Moses lived to be 120 he did not say seventy or eighty years as a limit, just an estimate.
Prayer for Compassion
Moses then asks God to relent. Other translations are return. Return to the people. Have compassion on them.
“Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants.
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble.” (13-15)
For all of their days of suffering, give them days of gladness. “Many were the days of their affliction; Moses asked that the days of their gladness would also be many. He hoped the days of gladness would be so long that God’s glory would be evident even to their children.” Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 90
The psalm ends with the prayer that God would show God’s glory to the children of Israel and bless the work of their hands.
“May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.” (16-17)
Generations
In Ernest Hemingway’s early short story, “Indian Camp,” a boy confronts his first experience with death – a grisly suicide. The story ends with this sentence: “In the early morning on the lake sitting in the stern of the boat with his father rowing, he felt quite sure that he would never die.”
What a true statement. I remember as a young child, staring into the vast expanse of darkness at night and fearing death. I prayed that God would never let me die and found comfort in that prayer and my youthful certainty that God would answer my prayer.
Now, generations later, I take comfort in knowing that death comes to all, even me.
How many generations are there in a single lifetime? A generation usually indicates the time from when a person is born till they become a parent, starting a new generation, typically twenty to thirty years. With the birth of my grandchildren, I am in to my third generation.
Moses saw a whole generation of people pass away while traveling in the desert. This and the death of his siblings caused him to reflect on the passing of generations and what is most important.
Heart of Wisdom
In the middle of Psalm 90 we have a simple prayer for wisdom. “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (12)
Wisdom needs to be learned. What are we to learn from Psalm 90 – Generations? One commentator states: “Most people live with little awareness that life is short, and their days should be numbered. Young people especially often think their days have no number and give little thought to what lies beyond this life … Learning to number our days will give us a heart of wisdom. This is wisdom not only for the mind, but for the heart as well.” Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 90
God is everlasting. His time is not our time as we see in verse 4, “A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by.” We need to consider the shortness of life and live for eternity with God. We need to pass this on from generation to generations so that all generations might know of the wonders of our God.
(For another take on this psalm, see Psalm 90: Ending Like a Sigh – Patricia M Robertson)
This post is part of a series of blog posts on the Psalms. Sign up to follow this blog and receive a free copy of Still Dancing, the second book in my Dancing through Life Series. click here to sign up
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