Psalm 90

For over twenty years, I have been systematically reading through the book of Psalms. Most days, I read through five Psalms based on the date. For example, on the thirtieth day of the month, I will read Psalms 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150. Each time I come to the Psalms, they speak to my heart and encourage my soul in so many different ways. The thing I love about Psalms is that I know that the writers were real people who faced difficult and frightening circumstances, and on the darkest days of their lives, they clung to the Lord. This gives us hope and encourages our hearts to cling to the Lord as well. When we read the Psalms with our eyes on the gospel, we will find real hope and be reminded of all that God has done on our behalf. Psalm 90 opens with a reminder that God is eternal; he always has been, and he always will be, but then the psalm shifts to the reality that man is not eternal and life is brief. Even long life is brief when viewed in light of an eternally existent Creator.

Verses 4-10 remind us of our fleeting days. Verses 5-6 gives a very vivid picture of the brevity of our life as the psalmist says:
“You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.”

The psalmist is making the point that human life passes quickly. In verse 9, he says, “For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.”

Life passes quickly and is often painful as it passes, but look at verses 12-17 and allow your heart to be encouraged by the Lord who loves his people.

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom…Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us…Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands…”

The wise follower of the Lord will ask him to teach him or her. We are wise to ask for instruction from the Lord. Specifically, when it comes to our lives. We should not presume we have “all the time in the world” to do the work we have been given to do. We need to wisely consider that our lives are brief, and we should be busy doing the work we have been given to do. In the middle of these verses, which remind us to consider the brevity of life and our work in it, is a request to be satisfied with the steadfast love of God.

Because we are sinners and have a propensity to go our own way and assume we have time to make things right “later,” this psalm wisely reminds us to consider who we are and who God is. In light of this truth, his steadfast love for us is an overwhelming thought, and yet it is offered to us.

When we live in light of the steadfast love of God, we will have joy and gladness all our days. This does not imply that there will be no difficulty, but that in the difficulty we will have joy that comes from God’s unrelenting love for us.

Take some time today to consider that the eternally existent God has set his love on you. Ask him to overwhelm your heart with this truth, and then ask him to cause your heart to be busy with the task of making much of him in this world.

Father,
You are eternal and we are bound by space and time. You have given us a specific number of days to live, and in those days you have provided for us. You have loved us, pursued us, and called us to follow you faithfully. Thank you for your steadfast love that satisfies our hearts and fills us with joy on this journey that can be difficult. Life is full of hardship and affliction, but you are good and you do good. Keep our eyes fixed on you today, and remind us of the work you accomplished for us in the giving of your beloved Son. We love you, and we pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

This blog was written by Vicky Rorrer.