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Exodus & Kingdom: Nation formed, law given, kingdom rises and falls

Psalms

Chapter 90

Life's Brevity and the Need for Wisdom

The psalmist declares that God has been mankind's dwelling place in all generations, existing from everlasting before the mountains were formed. God turns man to destruction, reminding him to return, for a thousand years in God's sight are as yesterday and as a watch in the night. Men are carried away as by a flood, like sleep or grass that grows in morning and withers by evening. God's anger consumes men and His wrath troubles them, for He sets their secret sins in the light of His countenance. The days of our years are threescore and ten, or fourscore, yet they are labor and sorrow, soon cut off. The psalmist petitions God to teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom, asking God to satisfy His people early with mercy and establish the work of their hands.

God's eternityHuman mortalityGod's angerWisdom and numbering days

1 LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

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.

3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

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.

11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.

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.

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