A prayer of Moses, the man of God.
This Psalm was written by Moses after his forty-year wilderness wanderings. It is patterned after Deuteronomy 33. It is the oldest psalm in the Bible.
This psalm deals with the sin of Kadesh-Barnea. At Kadesh-Barnea, Israel was ready to cross over into the Promised Land. Twelve spies were sent into the land. Ten came back with a negative report, claiming that Israel could not defeat the giants in the land. The nations listened to the majority of men and not to the sure word of God. Therefore, God sentenced the entire generation (except for Joshua and Caleb) to wander in the desert for forty years.
Moses saw 1,200,000 people die in a 38-year period. This meant that he attended an average of 87 funerals per day. He also saw his own family members die, including Aaron and Miriam. He wrote this psalm after he and seen the results which this one sin at Kadesh-Barnea caused to the nation of Israel.
90:1 O Lord, you have been our protector through all generations!
The Hebrew word for “Lord” is אֲֽדֹנָ֗י (adonai), meaning the Sovereign One. God is sovereign over all of creation and all of history. He is the one who has been protecting Israel from the satanic attacks of pagan nations.
90:2 Even before the mountains came into existence, or you brought the world into being, you were the eternal God.
The mountains were present as witnesses when God and Israel agreed to the Mosaic Covenant. God existed before the world was created. God is eternal. He does not suffer decay or death, like humans.
90:3 You make mankind return to the dust, and say, “Return, O people!”
The Hebrew word for “mankind” is אֱ֭נוֹשׁ (enosh), meaning men who are frail and weak. The Hebrew word for “dust” is דַּכָּא (dacah), meaning to pulverize into dust. Man is so frail and weak, that God can pulverize him into dust. Jehovah asked His people to return back to Him.
90:4 Yes, in your eyes a thousand years are like yesterday that quickly passes, or like one of the divisions of the nighttime.
God created time. Time means nothing to God. There were four divisions of the night. Each division was about four hours long. One thousand years is like one watch in the night. One thousand years is like four hours to God.
90:5 You bring their lives to an end and they “fall asleep.” In the morning they are like the grass that sprouts up;
All men will die. A man’s life is like the grass. It sprouts up in the morning and dies at night. Others trample on the grass, giving it no notice.
90:6 in the morning it glistens and sprouts up; at evening time it withers and dries up.
The grass glistens in the morning, but it withers and dries up by night. Human life is the same. The early years are spent learning how to think, walk, talk, and learn. The later years are spent with mental and physical capabilities beginning to dissipate. The only productive years are the middle years. However, Satan attempts to keep the middle-age Christian immature so that he will not produce much fruit.
90:7 Yes, we are consumed by your anger; we are terrified by your wrath.
Moses saw 1,200,000 people die in the wilderness. Many died by natural causes. Many others died by the divine wrath of God. There are many believers who commit the sin unto death, causing God to take them home early.
90:8 You are aware of our sins; you even know about our hidden sins.
The cause of death is sin. Man may not know another man’s hidden sins or another man’s hidden sinful thoughts, but God does. Secret sin on earth is open scandal in heaven.
90:9 Yes, throughout all our days we experience your raging fury; the years of our lives pass quickly, like a sigh.
Sin cuts man’s day short. Sin will eventually cause man to breathe out his last breath.
90:10 The days of our lives add up to seventy years, or eighty, if one is especially strong. But even one’s best years are marred by trouble and oppression. Yes, they pass quickly and we fly away.
The average amount of life is about 70-80 years. Some live less and others live more. Even one’s best years are marred by trouble and oppression. Time passes very quickly. Those who are young and inexperienced see death as a long time away. Those who are older and more experienced wonder how time passed away so quickly. One’s physical life is just a millisecond of eternity. This is why it is so foolish to live the Epicurean way of “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.”
90:11 Who can really fathom the intensity of your anger? Your raging fury causes people to fear you.
Moses asked two questions. First, does any man really understand the depth of God’s anger over sin? Second, does the raging fury of God actually cause people to fear Him?
The answer to both questions is “no.” Most believers do not have enough bible doctrine from the entire counsel of the Word of God to really understand the depth of God’s anger against sin.
90:12 So teach us to consider our mortality, so that we might live wisely.
Moses asked God to teach one how to number their days. A good suggestion offered by Dr. Fruchtenbaum is that every believer should count the days to his 70th birthday and then planning on using every one of those days to serve Christ. One may find out that he does not have as many days left on this earth as he thought.
The Hebrew word for “wisely” is חָכְמָה (chacmah), meaning to gain skill in living. The skill of wisdom comes from the study and application of bible doctrine from the entire counsel of the Word of God.
90:13 Turn back toward us, O Lord! How long must this suffering last? Have pity on your servants!
Moses asked God a question, “How long must this suffering last?” Moses did not want the new generation to make poor choices and suffer as much as their parents of the previous generation suffered.
90:14 Satisfy us in the morning with your loyal love! Then we will shout for joy and be happy all our days!
The Hebrew word for “loyal love” is חָ֫סֶד (chesed), meaning covenant love. Moses asked God to keep His promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. When God fulfills His covenant promises, then Jews and Gentiles will be filled with joy.
90:15 Make us happy in proportion to the days you have afflicted us, in proportion to the years we have experienced trouble!
Moses asked for proportional restoration. God poured out His wrath on Israel for forty years. Now, Moses asked God to bless Israel for the next forty years.
90:16 May your servants see your work! May their sons see your majesty!
The servants are the new generation of Israelites who will enter into the Promised Land during the leadership of Joshua. The sons are their descendants. The Hebrew word for “majesty” is הָדָר (hadar), meaning beauty. Moses asked God to show all of the descendants of Israel the beauty of God.
90:17 May our sovereign God extend his favor to us! Make our endeavors successful! Yes, make them successful!
The Hebrew word for “favor” is נֹ֫עַם (naas), meaning delightfulness or pleasantness. Instead of receiving wrath and judgment like the generation which died in the wilderness, Moses asked God to show their future descendants delightfulness and pleasantness. Moses asked that God make the endeavors of these new descendants successful.
Although man is frail and he does not live a very long time, he can become successful in life by allowing God to work through his hands. If man studies and applies bible doctrine, then he will immensely enjoy life, even though his life is short.