(1) Overview
(Kel Ps) Psalm 90 is best taken as a communal lament, even though it has some characteristics of wisdom literature. The lament is written from the intense awareness of mortality and sin; apparently the nation had been enduring prolonged affliction from God because of sin, and so they cried out for God to put an end to it and instead give them a joyful and productive life. In spite of their terrifying awareness of human frailty, they hold fast to their faith in the everlasting God.
(2) Outline
(BKC) According to the superscription the psalm is “a prayer of Moses, the man of God” (cf. Deut. 33:1)...However, the period of the wilderness wanderings, when a generation of Israelites perished in the desert, readily suggests itself as the background for the psalm.
(Kel Ps) Psalm 90 is best taken as a communal lament, even though it has some characteristics of wisdom literature. The lament is written from the intense awareness of mortality and sin; apparently the nation had been enduring prolonged affliction from God because of sin, and so they cried out for God to put an end to it and instead give them a joyful and productive life. In spite of their terrifying awareness of human frailty, they hold fast to their faith in the everlasting God.
(2) Outline
(Kel Ps)
I. Moses contrasts the eternity of the Lord God with the brevity of mankind, acknowledging that human transitoriness is due to God’s anger (1–10).
A. The psalmist affirms his faith in the everlasting God (1–2).
B. The psalmist laments that God swiftly removes people from life so that they wither and die for he is above the limitations of time (3–6).
C. The psalmist acknowledges that human life is fragile and troubled because of God’s anger over sin (7–10).
II. Acknowledging that no one can understand the power of God’s wrath, Moses appeals to God for instruction in planning a life that would reflect a heart of wisdom (11–12).
A. He acknowledges that no one can understand the terrifying power of God (11).
B. He asks God to teach him to number his days so that he will live wisely (12).
III. [In view of this transitory and troubled life, people also need God’s compassion to give them a joyful and productive life] (13–17).
I. Moses contrasts the eternity of the Lord God with the brevity of mankind, acknowledging that human transitoriness is due to God’s anger (1–10).
A. The psalmist affirms his faith in the everlasting God (1–2).
B. The psalmist laments that God swiftly removes people from life so that they wither and die for he is above the limitations of time (3–6).
C. The psalmist acknowledges that human life is fragile and troubled because of God’s anger over sin (7–10).
II. Acknowledging that no one can understand the power of God’s wrath, Moses appeals to God for instruction in planning a life that would reflect a heart of wisdom (11–12).
A. He acknowledges that no one can understand the terrifying power of God (11).
B. He asks God to teach him to number his days so that he will live wisely (12).
III. [In view of this transitory and troubled life, people also need God’s compassion to give them a joyful and productive life] (13–17).
A. He calls for the LORD to turn in compassion to His servants (13).
B. He specifies that the LORD should turn their sorrow into joy (14–15).
1. If God would satisfy people with loyal love, they should rejoice all their days (14).
2. God should make them glad according to their days of affliction (15).
C. He also specifies that God should give them success in their labors (16–17).
1. God’s glorious work should be to his servants (16).
B. He specifies that the LORD should turn their sorrow into joy (14–15).
1. If God would satisfy people with loyal love, they should rejoice all their days (14).
2. God should make them glad according to their days of affliction (15).
C. He also specifies that God should give them success in their labors (16–17).
1. God’s glorious work should be to his servants (16).
2. God should establish the work of their hands (17).
(3) Key verse
a. 90:1 O Lord, you have been our protector through all generations!
90:2 Even before the mountains came into existence,
or you brought the world into being,
you were the eternal God.
v.1 God is their protector, and He is their God from their very beginning. From v.2, the author stated that God is eternal. What is the connection from v.1 to 2? From the later part of the psalm, I guess the author hinted that they were in good standing at the moment. How would a nation with the Sovereign God as their Protector had such a bad standing?
90:2 Even before the mountains came into existence,
or you brought the world into being,
you were the eternal God.
v.1 God is their protector, and He is their God from their very beginning. From v.2, the author stated that God is eternal. What is the connection from v.1 to 2? From the later part of the psalm, I guess the author hinted that they were in good standing at the moment. How would a nation with the Sovereign God as their Protector had such a bad standing?
b. Repeated words from v.3-11 tell us the reason why.
"You bring their lives to an end" v.5, "Yes, we are consumed by your anger...by your wrath" v.7, "You are aware of our sins...our hidden sins." v.8, "Yes...we experience your raging fury" v.9, "Who can really fathom the intensity of your anger? Your raging fury..." v.11
c. 90:12 So teach us to consider our mortality,
so that we might live wisely.
Because God is their protection since the beginning, because they knew that the cause of their suffering was God's wrath, the only wise way to live as a servant is to learn how to live under God's rulership.
so that we might live wisely.
Because God is their protection since the beginning, because they knew that the cause of their suffering was God's wrath, the only wise way to live as a servant is to learn how to live under God's rulership.
(BKC) Because life is so brief, and because it is spent under God’s wrath on sin, the psalmist, representing God’s people, implored God for wisdom in numbering their days (cf. 39:4), that is, realizing how few they are.
(Kel Ps) When devout people measure God’s anger for sin against their reverence (or lack of reverence) for God, they understand the reason for the anger. They also realize this is beyond their knowledge, for they have been ignorant of God’s ways and unaware of their own sins. And so they must pray for divine instruction: “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (v. 12). Because people do not know the full power of God’s wrath, they need to know how to live a life pleasing to God...By teaching them to number their days, God would be making them realize how short, how fleeting, life actually is, and how important it is to plan out how to use that time.
Reflection: After calculating how few times we have left, we need to ask God to teach us to not to sin against Him. Therefore we do not waste our lives. On the other hand, we need to have a plan to live in order to be useful to God.
Reflection: After calculating how few times we have left, we need to ask God to teach us to not to sin against Him. Therefore we do not waste our lives. On the other hand, we need to have a plan to live in order to be useful to God.
The result is to live wisely v.12b. How does that look like? From Pastor Simon's sermon long ago, he said, " Wisdom begins with the fear of God and humbling doing God's will in different circumstances. Is God the number one in our lives? How do our words and thoughts reflect this? When we sin that means we love sin more than God. We hate sin but not enough because we do not see the severity of sin."
When I talked to brothers and sisters who do not attend in-person worship, most of them do not have any health concerns. They told me that they are busy, or the time is not convenient, their work demands them, or they cannot get up in the morning... Although they are all legitimate reasons, do our actions reflect that God is number 1 in our lives? Do we know that our days are limited and we need to live wisely?
Audrey
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