The Book of Psalms
Psalm 90
Psalm XC · Vol. II, pp. 1046–1048
1 The psalmist declareth God's providence over Israel, 3 complaineth of human frailty, 7 divine chastisements, 10 and brevity of life. 12 He prayeth for the knowledge and sensible experience of God's good providence.
A prayer of Moses1 the aman of God.
2 Beforec the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, deven from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3 Thoue turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
e Nu.14.29,35. Ge.3.19. Ps.146.4. Ec.12.7.
4 Forg a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past,4 and as a watch in the night.
5 Thouh carriest them away as with a flood; ithey are as a sleep: in the morning they are jlike grass which groweth 5up.6
h Pr.14.32. Job 27.20,21. Is.8.7,8.
j Ps.103.15,16. Is.40.6. Ja.1.10,11.
5 Or, is changed.
6 There is a terseness, an abruptness, and a plenitude of meaning in this verse, which evidence its high antiquity:—'Thou sweepest them away; a dream they are; in the morning, as the grass, it flourisheth.'—P.
7 Forl we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
l Nu.14.29,35. ver.9,11. Is.33.14. De.32.22; 4.24. Ps.59.13.
10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten;1 and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, pyet is their strength labour and sorrow: for qit is soon cut off, and we fly away.
12 Sos teach us to number our days, that we may apply3 our hearts unto wisdom.
s Ps.39.4. De.32.29. Ep.5.16,17.
3 Heb. cause to come, Pr.ii.-ix. 2 Ti.3.15,16. Lu.12.19,20.
15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
16 Letv thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
v Hab.3.2. Eze.20.6. Nu.14.31. Ps.105.42,44; 135.12.
Notes
Title. This is one of the most remarkable, and, in some respects, one of the most beautiful, psalms in the whole book. It has been called the funeral hymn of the world. Human frailty is brought out in it with equal vividness and pathos; but it is brought out in such a way that it teaches man humble resignation rather than blank despair. It teaches the thoughtful man to utter in faith and hope the sublime prayer, 'Thy will be done,' for it shows him that God's will is the supreme good of the creature. It is called in the title a prayer of Moses; and Prof. Alexander has well said:—'The correctness of the title is confirmed by its unique simplicity and grandeur; its appropriateness to his times and circumstances; its resemblance to the law in urging the connection between sin and death; its simplicity of diction akin to the poetical parts of the Pentateuch, without the slightest trace of imitation or quotation; its marked unlikeness to the psalms of David, and still more to those of later date; and finally the proved impossibility of assigning it to any other age or author.' P.
Ver. 1. In all generations. In the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the slavery of Egypt, in the wanderings of the desert, in the wars with Philistia, &c., and even in the captivity and dispersion. Yea, still he is the refuge of his people, whenever their heart shall turn to the Lord. C.
Ver. 3. Return, ye children of men. That is, as some understand it, 'return to the dust from whence ye were taken.' But is it not more natural to understand the word return of the 'return of the spirit to God who gave it;' or of the resurrection, in which the body of his children, though 'sown in dishonour, is raised in glory?' C.
Ver. 11. Power of thine anger. None, in this life, can fully estimate the awful torment of 'the worm that dieth not, and the fire that is not quenched.'—'Yet who regardeth the power of thine anger, or thy wrath with reverence becoming thee?' (Boothroyd). C.
Ver. 16. Thy work of creation—thy work of providence—thy work of grace. Of the first, the natural man seeth but little; of the second, less; of the third, nothing; for, spiritual things must be spiritually discerned; and the 'pure in heart,' those renewed by the Holy Spirit, 'shall (alone) see God.' C.
Reflections.—Happy are they who, amidst a transitory and perishing world, have the eternal God for their All in All. Wise is his dominion over mankind and unsearchable his duration. But weak and short-lived are men. And it is madness to seek satisfaction and happiness in things so fleeting and unsubstantial. With what armies of sorrows hath sin invaded and overspread our earth: and how exactly every crime is observed by God, in order to correct or punish on account of it! But it is unavailing to live, or live long, unless we live to and in Christ. Yea, intolerable is the woe which God has reserved for those who die in their sins. Every day, therefore, ought to be so numbered as to flee from them to Jesus Christ our refuge. The great business of life is to make ready for death. To ponder aright what is to become of us in eternity is wisdom indeed, and deserves the most serious application. Gracious souls cannot without sorrow abide the sense of God's displeasure. And they who have truly tasted the bitterness of sin cannot rest till the Lord return in pardoning mercy, speak peace to their conscience, and enable them to rejoice in himself. And such as are faithful to Christ will be greatly concerned that he may work all in them, do all for them, give all to them; and that he may herein be glorified, not only in them, but also in their posterity after them.