Psalms 90 ~ Listen and Read Along

Dramatized KJV
JV McGee
This Psalm is a prayer of Moses (v. 1). It is a prayer because he addresses God throughout the psalm. Moses is called "the man of God" here (Deuteronomy 33:1; Joshua 14:6; 1Chronicles 23:14; 2Chronicles 30:16; Ezra 3:2). Moses here represents the voice of the whole people of God, which is evident from the use of the words "our" and "we". Thereby we must remember that God's people are the God-fearing part of them, the part that God acknowledges in His rights and wants to uphold these rights in the midst of an apostate people.

The main purpose of this psalm is revealed in the prayer with which it concludes (v. 13~17). This prayer is prefaced by a meditation on the frailty of man (v. 3~12), in the light of eternity of God (v. 1~2). By this backward method of analysis we gain a conception of the general scheme of the psalm which now enables us to take the three movements in their orderly sequence.

The eternity of God is described in three stages. First, as measured by the history of His people, He has ever been their dwelling-place. Secondly, as measure by creation, He was before all. Finally, whether the mind travel backward or forward to the vanishing point, He is still God. In this light man is seen in the frailty of his being.

The Treasury of David

 

From Everlasting to Everlasting    

Psalms 90:1 A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
Psalms 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Psalms 90:3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
Psalms 90:4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Psalms 90:5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
Psalms 90:6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
Psalms 90:7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
Psalms 90:8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
Psalms 90:9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
Psalms 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Psalms 90:11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
Psalms 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psalms 90:13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
Psalms 90:14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Psalms 90:15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
Psalms 90:16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
Psalms 90:17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
  
  
  
  
   Previous Chapter   Return HOME   Next Bible Chapter