11.10.26

Psalm 90

Book Four

From Everlasting to Everlasting

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place

  in all generations.

2 Before the mountains were brought forth,

  or ever you had formed the earth and the world,

  from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3 You return man to dust

  and say, “Return, O children of man!”

4 For a thousand years in your sight

  are but as yesterday when it is past,

  or as a watch in the night.

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.

8 You have set our iniquities before you,

  our secret sins in the light of your presence.

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?

12 So teach us to number our days

  that we may get a heart of wisdom.

We ask God to help us realize how short this life is in order to gain wisdom to maximize our use of time through glorifying him.

When are you most likely to think in terms of "lamenting?" Bad news or kids get bad news? How about a doctor visit? Or a long time in a holding pattern waiting to get some news you've been anxious to get?

What has Moses in his mood in today's psalm?

Apparently, the study notes state, nothing. Moses is lamenting in general and so it is believed this was used in worship as a lament when needed. Moses is attempting to note how brief life is, so don't lose sight of why we are here.

This sentiment/lesson reminds me of Christ's parable of the young man. You know the one I'm talking about, in which the you man says, "I've done well. I'm storing up the grains and living a great life, eating, drinking and making merry." (Luke 12)

Christ says, "20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?"

The "punchline" in today's psalm is much like the punchline in the parable: "12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."

Moses is speaking wisdom here for us today. Our lives have a longer expectancy than they did then. So?

"How quickly life flies by: grass withering in the summer heat, leaves falling and blowing away in autumn, trees standing bare in winter. Even more heartbreaking is to stand by a casket and stare at a lifeless body or to look in a mirror and see age steal youth and energy. Yet in spring the flowers bloom and the grass turns green. The grave is empty on Easter morning. Jesus has risen! God has taken pity on us and given us everlasting life in Christ."* Amen.

*Lutheran Study Bible Prayer offered at the end of the commentary on each chapter of The Psalms.