Psalm 90
From Theologica
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 - Life's Futility
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.
- The quality of life declined because of God's anger
- Why?
- Was it just situational?
- Did the Hebrews feel the weight of their sin? Did their guilt eat at them?
- Was it the magnitutde of what they were forced to bear because of their transgression?
- Why?
- The idea of finishing life as just a sigh just seems so futile.
- This versette is brilliant because of the this imagery
- Fury and sigh seem to be contrasted a bit here.
Interpretation
Application
4:10 - Life's Brevity
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.
Observation
- The average lifespan of the Hebrew was seventy years.
- Those who were "strong", eighty
- The best or strongest of those years was just "labor and sorrow"
- Why?
- Is it because it is so short?
- Is it because of what is shouldered in that time?
- Is it the guilt?
- Or is it the wrath being born by them?
- Why?
Interpretation
- The majority of my life is spent working, but I wouldn't say it is sorrowful work.
- At times it has been
Application
4:11 - Ignorance of God's Anger
Who understands the power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You?
Observation
- The question is asked, but it is rhetorical. It is assumed that no one understands God's anger. How could we?
- The second versette is a continuation and a bit of expansion upon the first.
- We do not properly fear God
- Probably because we do not fully believe His word or His existence.
Interpretation
- Why can we not understand God's anger?
- It is righteous
- It is true and perfectly accurate
- It is holy
- We do not understand fully that our sins are against God alone
- Why do we not fear God?
- we rationalize His judgments and actions away.
- Understanding God's anger more fully will allow us to fear Him more fully.
Application
- Meditate and study why God would be angry.
- God is not angry at the believer; Jesus is our propitiation.
4:12 - Life's Stewardship
So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
Observation
- v. 11 argues that we do not understand the "power of [God's] anger", nor do we properly fear Him
- v 12 then is asking God to teach "us"
- "to number our days" has been argued, in more places than one, to mean account for the time alotted to us.
- Why should we account for our time on earth?
- So "that we may present to [God] a heart of wisdom"
- Proverbs 9:10 instructs us that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom"
- So "that we may present to [God] a heart of wisdom"
- Why should we account for our time on earth?
- We will have to present our heart to God
- that is, our thoughts and intentions along with our actions will be on display before God.
Interpretation
- Fearing the Lord properly will encourage us to make the most of our time on earth
- Making the most of our time will enable us to present to God "a heart of wisdom."
- We will be held accountable for our time on earth as alluded to in v7
Application
- Make the most of the time alotted to you
- Live in such a way as to not have to be ashamed when it is "your time"
- Am I?
Questions
- Am I making the most of my time?
- Where is the balance? Is there a balance?
- How then do you live to God?
- Whether then you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (Romans 11:36
Thoughts
- I Corinthians 6:19-20 says I am not my own and I am to glorify God with my body
- If this is so - and it is - I must conclude that every second is to be lived to God
- I can have free time without guilt, if my thoughts and actions reflect a heart to honor God in that time.
- Is this right?
4:13 -
Do return, O LORD; how long will it be?
And be sorry for Your servants.
Observation
- Marks a change of direction for the Psalm. Here it moves to a supplication to God to turn from His anger and judgment of the people and begin to heal them.
- The Psalmist asks how long it will be for God "to return"
Interpretation
Application
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
4:15 -
Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us,
And the years we have seen evil.
4:16 -
Let Your work appear to Your servants
And Your majesty to their children.
4:17 -
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.
