Psalm 90

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Contents

Overview

Outline

I. God in Light of Man (4:1-6)
II. Man in Light of God (4:7-12)
III. Supplication (4:13-17)

Study

God in Light of Man (4:1-6)

Observation

  • Written during the 40 year wandering of Israel (see v7)

Interpretation

Application

4:1 - God Our Dwelling Place

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Observation

  • Moses is speaking, so it is safe to assume "our" refers to Israel, and "generations" refers to Israel's generations
  • dwelling place, abode, domicile
    • A place to seek shelter
    • A place which gives shelter
  • By calling up generations, Moses brings up history
    • God has offered shelter throughout Israel's history.
    • Israel has sought refuge in God throught their history
  • Dwelling place offers up these thoughts
    • Comfort, family, warmth, safety, peace, rest, security
  • This verse links God's immortality with Israel seeking shelter in Him
    • These are the two main themes in this psalm.

Interpretation

  • God offers safety to His people
  • God's people can seek comfort and security in Him
  • with respect to the rest of the Psalm, this verse seems to offer a taste of what 13-17 are requesting

Application

4:2 - God Everlasting

Before the mountains were born
Or You gave birth to the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

Observation

  • God Existed before the mountains
  • God created the earth and the world (assuming the universe)
  • God is everlasting (infinite, immortal)
  • He alone is God
  • Continues to expand on Verse 1. Not only has God lived as long as Israel has had generations, but He is everlasting.

Interpretation

  • God is timeless

Application Note:

  • Key verse:
    • God's timelessness
    • References creation

4:3 - God the Sovereign

You turn man back into dust
And say, "Return, O children of men."

Observation

  • Does the first line mean that God literally takes the life of men, or does it refer to His outliving them?
    • I can see things from both sides
    • But I think verse five argues that God takes the lives of men.
  • Man is created from dust, to dust he eventually returns
    • The Hebrews apparently understood that dirt is made by the decaying of living things
  • God holds the lives of men in His hands
    • He holds ultimate power over us.
  • The Psalmist recognized God's complete sovereignty over him and his people
    • He is not bitter or angry; he just pleads

Interpretation

  • God is sovereign
  • God is the root of life
  • God is the determiner of destiny

Application

4:4 - God's View of Time

For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it passes by,
Or {as} a watch in the night.

Observation

  • It seems that the Psalmist is beginning a comparison between God's and Man's perspectives of time
    • He is doing this in order to begin pleading his people's case
    • He is reminding God that even though man's life may be a blink in God's eye, to man it is a lifetime

Interpretation

  • God's perspective is not man's perspective
  • God does know the difference between the two
  • God is timeless, so really, speaking about God's view of time is sort of silly.

Application

4:5 - Ephemeral Man

You have swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep;
In the morning they are like grass which sprouts anew.

Observation

  • Compares man to the grass
    • Man's life in God's eyes is much like grass's life to man's eyes
    • Not really, but the Psalmist is trying to show perspective
  • States that God is the cause for man's death
  • Sweeping away like a flood:
    • Is this reference to Noah?
    • Is it a reference to an event during the exodus?
    • Is it, rather, a reference to the breadth of God's

Interpretation

Application

4:6 - Man's Life

In the morning it flourishes and sprouts anew;
Toward evening it fades and withers away.

Observation

  • Expanding on the idea of Grass being short lived from v5
  • Describes man's life.
    • In the morning of his life, he has energy and vigor
    • As the "day" progresses, his life begins to fade and pass away
  • Nevertheless, grass is alive, it has a life; so does man.

Interpretation

  • The combination of this verse and v5 sets up the next set of verses.
    • It is the psalmist reminding God a moment of anger for God can last generations for man

Application

4:7 - God's Continual Anger

For we have been consumed by Your anger
And by Your wrath we have bee dismayed.

Observation

  • the first verse is a bit of hyberbole. Israel was not litterally consumed
  • The second versette, expands on the first stating that Israel was fearful because of God's wrath.
  • When was Israel consumed by God's anger?
    • Was this an instance of God's wrath such as at the golden calf?
    • Or was this rather an ongoing wrath such as the forty years in the desert.
    • Since the Psalmist continues to compare/contrast the eternality of God with the ephemerality of man, it is best to assume an ongoing wrath.
      • If Moses is the author, then the forty year wanderings are the best time setting for this psalm.

Interpretation

Application

4:8 - God the Judge

You have placed our iniquities before You,
Our secret {sins} in the light of Your presence.

Observation

  • the second versette expands upon the first
  • God sees our sins
    • Even the ones we think are secret
  • The "lihgt of Your presence" implies the lack of sin or darkness in God

Interpretation

  • God is sinless
  • God is light
  • God is judge
  • God's sinlessness uniquely qualifies Him to be judge of creation
  • we are accountable to God for our actions

Application

4:9 -

For all our days have declined in Your fury;
We have finished our years like a sigh.

Observation

  • The days of the people of Israel were exhausted - the days passed away - because of God's anger with them.
  • Their lives had little meaning other than to wander; to get the next generation to the promised land
  • There is an undertone of futility here.

Interpretation

Application

4:10 -

4:11 -

4:12 -

4:13 -





Ps 90:10 As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is {but} labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away. Ps 90:11 Who understands the power of Your anger And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You? Ps 90:12 So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. Ps 90:13 ¶ Do return, O LORD; how long {will it be?} And be sorry for Your servnts.

4:14 -

O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,
That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Observation

  • the word "morning" calls to mind vv 6 & 7

Interpretation

Application Ps 90:15 Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us, {And} the years we have seen evil. Ps 90:16 Let Your work appear to Your servants And Your majesty to their children. Ps 90:17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands.

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