Introduction: The title ‘A PRAYER OF MOSES, THE MAN OF GOD.’ was apparently written above this Psalm centuries after it was first written and had been frequently sung. We know that Moses could sing songs about God as recorded in Exodus 13 & Deuteronomy 33. The basic thought of this Psalm is a Mosaic record of how he thought about God’s faithfulness to God’s constancy!
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations. – It is possible to calculate when Israel’s generations began, since Israel is a people who have sprung from Jacob’s (Israel’s) loins!
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God. – We cannot age God even by the Earth’s creation!
3 You return man to dust
and say, “Return, O children of man!” – Do you think that Moses and people in general had any idea if there was life beyond the dusty period which death makes all people enter?
4 For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night. – Moses saw God as outside of time. There follows a negative suggestion as to possibly what God thinks of his ‘toys’ enjoyed for a while and then thrown onto the junk pile! (v5-7a)
5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;
by your wrath we are dismayed. – Moses thinks that thinking like this is crazy! What people do is important! Here, Moses stresses the bad side of people but remember that this must be seen in the context of all that the Bible and experience says about God!
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence. – Today we are just halfway though Ps 90 – I wait with bated breath to see how Moses will proceed from here! Tomorrow’s passage begins –
9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
Exodus 34: 6-7a – The LORD passed before him (Moses) and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty.
Prayer: Please help me to prepare for the day when I stand before You Face to face, O Lord God.