Teach Us to Number Our Days

(Psalm 90)

Mike Johnson

Moses is thought to be the writer of Psalm 90.  The basis for this conclusion is due to his name being in the superscription (title) of the psalm.  The title is not part of the inspired text, so there is no certainty that he is the author.  However, the psalm has been attributed to Moses since ancient times, and there does not seem to be any evidence to indicate otherwise.  If he is the writer, Psalm 90 may be the oldest.

Many think that Moses wrote this psalm during the time that the children of Israel were in the wilderness.  Some, more specifically, feel he wrote it during the latter part of this period after most of the original generation had passed away.

As Moses led the children of Israel, they regularly rebelled and complained.  They grumbled about the water (Ex. 15:24, 17:1-4) and the food (Num. 11:1-15, 16:2-3).  His leadership was challenged (Num. 12, 16, 21:4-9); the people wanted to appoint a captain to lead them back to Egypt after hearing the report of the 12 spies (Num. 14:1-5).  Consider also how discouraged Moses must have been when the people started worshiping the golden calf (Ex. 32).  Many events that occurred could have caused Moses to become dispirited.  Based on the tenor of the psalm, Moses probably wrote it during a time when he was very discouraged.

Scholars classify Psalm 90 as a “Psalm of Lament,” which is a type of psalm that expresses sorrow or grief.  Some call this psalm “pessimistic” and “dark.”  However, this viewpoint is very confining.  In contrast, one writer said, “The poem has in it something uncommonly striking, solemn, and sinking into the depth of the Godhead.  In contents and language it is throughout original and powerful.”  (Pulpit Commentary, Ewald).  In this psalm, the writer contrasts God’s greatness with the weakness and mortality of man.

We will look at various aspects of this psalm, which will include mining it for its practical applications and truths.  There are also some familiar and often quoted verses in the Psalm. The study consists of three sections, which are Meditation (1-6), Lament (7-11), and Prayer (12-17).

Meditation (1-6)

 Moses starts the psalm by saying, “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.”  God was not only Moses’ dwelling place as the text says, but he was also the dwelling place for all generations — so his statement would apply to the righteous since the beginning of time.

In what sense is God our dwelling place?  The Psalmist is not speaking literally, but he is saying God is like a person’s real home.  We usually are most comfortable at home — not the home of another person but our own home.  Our homes are typically places of safety, rest, and security.  However, thieves can break into our homes; houses are destroyed by fire and by the elements of nature; in time, wood can decay, and bricks can crumble.  In contrast, the home God supply is far superior as it is indestructible.  Therefore, God is our safe retreat.

Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness traveling from place to place, trying to lead a group of slaves who did not always want or appreciate his leadership.  Numbers 33 lists forty-two places where the children of Israel camped under the guidance of Moses. Moses knew about an unstable dwelling place.

Consider Abraham, who lived a nomadic life.  His wife, Sarah, died in Hebron.  At this point, he referred to himself as a foreigner and a visitor (Gen. 23); he finally bought some land as a burial place.

Paul faced many perils in preaching the gospel.  Note how he described his life.  He said, “To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless” (Cor. 4:11).  Despite this, God was his dwelling place.

God indeed provided a stable “dwelling place” for each of these, no matter what their lot on earth might be at any particular time.

In John 15, Jesus spoke of the importance of us abiding in Him and of Him abiding in us.  He compared this relationship to the need for a branch, to be fruitful, abiding in a vine.  In verse 4, he said, “Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”  He further pointed out that those who do not abide in Him are cast out as an unfruitful branch and cast into a fire (v. 6); those who abide in Him and His Words will have their prayers answered (v. 7).  Also, those who keep His commandments will abide in His love (vs. 9-10).

1 John shows a connection between God abiding in us and us abiding in Him. This relationship can exist if we: openly confess Jesus (4:15), abide in love (4:16), possess the Spirit of God (4:13), and if we keep His commandments (3:24).

Note some other passages, which speak of God as our refuge.  In Psalm 91, the Psalmist pointed out that God is our refuge and fortress.  He reveals that when we trust in God, there is no need to fear, no matter what happens.  Why is this? He says (v. 9), “Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.”  Jesus said in John 14:23, “…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our home with him.” Note the encouragement given to Abraham in Genesis 15:1 which says, “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram.  I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.’”

As faithful Christians, there is assurance in knowing that God is our dwelling place. Whether we live in the same house for fifty years or move every year, whether we live in a tent, as did Abraham and Moses, God is our dwelling place!  Do you have the comfort and security of having God as your dwelling place?

Verse 2 says, “Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

The Bible pictures mountains and hills as emblems of permanence; it speaks of “everlasting hills” and “ancient mountains” (Gen. 49:26, Deut. 33:15, Hab. 3:6).  We even have an expression today that something is “as old as the hills.”  There is a good chance the mountains we see around us today will be here until Christ returns —   they are pictures of stability.  However, as long as the mountains and hills have existed, God is more stable and enduring.  God existed before the mountains, and He created them.

Why does it say God is from everlasting to everlasting?  From a particular point in time looking backward, God is “from everlasting,” that is, He has no beginning.  From a specific point looking forward, God is “to everlasting” that is, He has no end.  So He is eternal, which means in both directions with no beginning or end (also note 1 Chron. 16:36, Ps. 41:13).

Note the difference between the concepts of “eternal” and “immortal.”  Humans are immortal, but they are not eternal.  We start with a body inhabited by a spirit.  Both the body and the spirit have beginnings.  Over time, we die, and our bodies return to the dust (Eccles 12:7, Ps. 103:14).  Our souls, however, being immortal, will live endlessly.  In Matthew 25:46, we learn that the righteous will receive an eternal reward, and the wicked will face eternal punishment.  Also, angels were created (Ps. 148:1-5), having been created before the foundations of the earth (Job 38:4-7).  However, they cannot die (Lk. 20:35-36).  Thus, humans and angels are immortal, but both have a beginning.  In contrast, God has no beginning and no end.  God is eternal (2b) — He is “from everlasting to everlasting.”

It is difficult for us to comprehend the concept of eternity.  Consider the following quote.

“High in the North in a land called Svithjod there is a mountain.  It is a hundred miles long and a hundred miles high and once every thousand years a little bird comes to this mountain to sharpen its beak.  When the mountain has thus been worn away a single day of eternity will have passed.”  (Hendrik Willem Van Loon, The Story of Mankind)

The concept of eternity is unfathomable when applied to our souls and eternal destinations.  With God, He did not even have a beginning.

Verse 2 closes with Moses saying, “You are God.”  In various places in the Scriptures, those devoted to Jehovah made this statement, and they did so with adulation (2 Sam. 7:22-28, Is. 37:16).  Consider one such occasion.  The Jewish council ordered Peter and John to stop preaching about Jesus Christ.  They defiantly refused, saying they would obey God rather than men.  When released, they joined others, asking God for boldness.  They started their prayer by honoring God.  Acts 4:24 says, “. . . they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: ‘Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them.’”  Today, we need to recognize that the Lord is God!

God has always existed, and He always will.  He existed before creation — even before the mountains as He created them.  Although humans have an immortal spirit, their physical bodies are not.  The verses, which follow, contrast the eternal God with mortal man.

Verse three states, “You turn man to destruction, and say, ‘Return, O children of men.’”  The word translated “destruction” is defined as, “An adjective meaning destruction, a crumbled substance, an object crushed into a powder, or pulverized dust” (The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament).  The word is also used to speak of a crushed, contrite spirit.  Many translations, however, renders it by the word “dust.”  The NASB, for example, translates it, “Thou dost turn man back into dust.”  Thus, this probably refers to Genesis 2:7, which speaks of God, forming man from the dust of the ground.  Ecclesiastes 12:7, describing death, says, “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.”

Note the second part of the verse.  After God returns man to the dust, He will then say, “Return O children of men.”  There are various positions on the meaning of this phrase.  One view is this:  Man came from the dust; God requires everyone to return to the dust from which he is created, but one day, he will bring them back in the resurrection.  Another position is that God sends one generation back to the dust but then brings on another to takes its place.

Perhaps the correct position involves taking the two phrases as parallel, stating the same basic concept twice.  The NRSV reflects this viewpoint rendering it, “You turn us back to dust, and say, ‘Turn back, you mortals.’”

No matter how famous, wealthy, or influential people might be, they will return to the dust.  Death is unavoidable.  Consider the following quote.

Return to your dust; go back to the earth from which you came.  Return, all of you without exception; kings, princes, nobles, warriors, conquerors; mighty people, captains, and counselors; ye learned and great, ye honored and flattered, ye beautiful and happy, ye youthful and vigorous, and ye aged and venerable; whatever is your rank, whatever are your possessions, whatever are your honors, whatever you have to make you lovely, to charm, to please, to be admired; or whatever there is to make you loathsome and detestable; ye vicious, ye profane, low, groveling, sensual, debased; go all of you alike to ‘dust!’ (Barnes’ Notes)

God is different from any human being because He is eternal.  This is in contrast with people who are not immortal.  Not only did God create the earth, but He also controls the people upon it.

Moses says more about God in verse 4.  He points out, “For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night.”  Since God is eternal, He does not view time as we do.  Unlike people on earth, God is not governed by the rising and setting of the sun or by the passing of years.  A thousand years is a long time; it is difficult to grasp.  Yet, this period is like a day to God.

For us, time can seem to move slow or fast.  Time seems to move slowly, especially for the young, when anticipating future events.  However, looking back, we often feel time has passed quickly.

Consider a person who is living on a remote island.  He does not need a watch or money, and he can eat when he is hungry and sleep when he is sleepy.  It may seem that time means nothing to him, but it does because he is aging.  His time is limited, but this is not the case with God.

Consider the relative nature of a life span.  A housefly only lives 15 to 25 days.  The life span of a human in the United States is 78 years.  Compared to the life span of a person, ten days is slight, but to a fly, ten days is a significant portion of its life.  Methuselah lived to be 969.  Fifty years would seem like a long time to us, but to him, it would not.  Extend this to God.  One day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day.  In contrast to humans, time means nothing to Him — He is eternal.

The later part of the verse expresses the concept in another way as it says the thousand years is like a “watch in the night” to God.  The Jews had three watches during the night, and the Romans had four.  Thus, a thousand years is like a watch, i.e., a short time.

Verses 5-6 continues, “You carry them away like a flood; they are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up: in the morning it flourishes and grows up; in the evening it is cut down and withers.”

These two verses continue with the weakness and frailty of man’s life, especially in contrast with God’s eternal existence and strength, being the Creator of all things.  The writer gives three illustrations, which make a similar point to verse three.  Notice the comparisons used to teach us about life on earth.

1. They are carried away like a flood.” The Psalmist compares earthly life to a flowing body of water, which turns into a flood.  This simile shows the swiftness with which our life passes on the earth and the universality of death.  Death sweeps away helpless people as a flood carries away a feather — each generation is swept away.  Also, a flood quickly sweeps everything away in its path.  It is not a respecter of persons.  Similarly, it does not matter what a person’s rank or station in life is, that person is still subject to death.

2. They are like sleep. This word expresses the same concept.  Barnes puts it like this:  “The idea is that human life resembles a sleep, because it seems to pass so swiftly; to accomplish so little; to be so filled with dreams and visions, none of which remain or become permanent” (from Barnes’ Notes)  When sleeping well, time seems to pass quickly.  (In contrast, think about times when you have been unable to sleep at night.)  Suppose a family takes a long  automobile trip.  For any family member who sleeps during the journey, time passes quickly, but for the driver, the trip seems longer.  Thus, our life on this  earth is very short (Job. 14:1-2).  The writer is comparing our life to sleep, illustrating how quickly it passes.

3. They are like grass. The Scriptures often compares grass to life on earth, which demonstrates the mutability, or fickleness, of our existence in the body.  For example, 1 Peter 1:22-25 teaches that the word of God, unlike flesh, endures forever.  Psalm 103:8-15, makes a comparison between God’s mercy, which is from “everlasting to everlasting” and our lives on earth.  Verse 15 says, “As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.”  In Matthew 6:30, Jesus speaks of grass as that “which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven.”

Grass is temporary.  It can flourish in the morning and wither away by the sun in the afternoon — it is trampled on, or cut by a mower.  Our lives are like grass.  We should not put our trust in life on the earth, in our mortal physical bodies, but we should focus on the place where our immortal souls will dwell in the afterlife, where we can be with our eternal God.

Moses’ Lament (7-11)

 This section is sometimes called “The Severe Discipline of God” or “The Complaint of Moses.”

Verse 7 says, “For we have been consumed by Your anger, and by Your wrath we are terrified.”  

Various passages in the Bible speak of God’s wrath.  Jeremiah 30:23 reveals, “Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goes forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind; It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.”  Nahum 1:2 states, “God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; the Lord avenges and is furious.  The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies.”  Romans 1:18 speaks of the wrath of God, which is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness, and Hebrews 12:29 points out that our God is a consuming fire.

Who is the “we” in this verse?  It may refer to mankind in general, but there is a particular application to the children of Israel.  They were recipients of God’s wrath due to their sin and rebellion.

In the very beginning, sin brought about physical and spiritual death, and sin has resulted in severe consequences ever since.  We read of the wrath of God in the Old and New Testaments.  God’s anger comes about due to man’s sin and is a consequence of the justice of God.  Sin is in direct opposition to the righteousness of God.  One writer, J.I. Packer, summarizes: “God’s wrath in the Bible is never the capricious, self-indulgent, irritable, morally ignoble thing that human anger so often is. It is, instead, a right and necessary reaction to objective moral evil” (Knowing God, 151).

The last part of the verse says, “by your wrath we are terrified.”  Some translations say “dismayed” or “overwhelmed.”  The concept of this verse is not very popular today.  Many emphasize God’s love and speak very little of His wrath.  Yet, God will punish us for our sins.  Non-Christians, as well as unfaithful Christians, should be terrified.

Verse 8, continuing to speak of God, points out, “You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.”  God knows the sins of every generation; He has not turned His face from them.  As the verse makes clear, He even knows our secret sins.

God, because He is omniscient, knows about all sins.  We are told in Ecclesiastes 12:14 that “. . . God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”  Hebrews 4:13 makes it clear that “. . . there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”  Romans 2:16 informs us that at the Judgment, Christ will “judge the secrets of men” according to the gospel.

God even knows about our “secret sins” (8b).  What are these?  Consider two possibilities.  One alternative is that it is referring to sins we are aware of but keep secret from others.  God knows about these sins — they are fully visible to Him.  Another possibility is that he is speaking of sins we have committed but are not aware of or have forgotten.  God even knows about these.  Perhaps both are included in the text.

In Psalm 19:12-13, David asks, “Who can understand his errors?  Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me.  Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression.”  In this passage, “secret faults” are put in contrast with “presumptuous sins,”  which are those committed openly and blatantly and are known about by others.  God knows about these, but He also even knows of our secret sins.  He is aware of those we may know about and hide and those of which we are not aware.

Verse 9 says, “For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh.  Due to the differences in translation, the Hebrew word (hegeh), translated “sigh” (NKJV), is apparently a difficult word to translate.  Various translations render it “sigh.”  The NIV translates it “moan,” while the KJV translates it a “tale that is told.”  Consider the following definition.

A masculine noun meaning a muttering, rumbling, growling, moaning, or sighing sound.  It generally describes a sound that comes from deep within the body.  The Lord’s voice is further described as making a rumbling sound associated with thunder (Job 37:2). The idea of moaning or sighing depicts the sound uttered in mourning, lamentation, woe (Ezek 2:10), or in deep resignation (Ps 90:9) (from The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament).

The translation has an impact on the interpretation.  Consider various ideas on the meaning.

1. A tale quickly ends, and then one moves to another. This viewpoint is saying that our life quickly passes away.
2. Life passes away as quickly as a sigh does; it has no permanence.
3. It refers to the pain (moan) of dying, particularly in old age (“finish”), which seems to be the result of God’s anger (“Your wrath”).

This section is speaking about how quickly life passes away.  Thus, any view, which considers this, is the most plausible.

Various passages in the Old Testament speaks of the uncertainty and swiftness of life.  For example, Psalm 39:5 compares life to a “handbreadth” and a “shadow.”  A “handbreadth” would be the measure of four fingers, equal to about four inches (Easton’s Bible Dictionary).  Shadows are fickle and fleeting.  Job 7:6 says our lives are swifter than a “weavers shuttle.”  In Job 9:25, Job laments, “Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.”  The word translated “runner” refers to a courier such as one who would carry a royal decree, i.e., someone who moves quickly.  At most, life on this earth is very short.

Verse 10 reveals, “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”

The first part of the verse speaks of the life span of people during the days of Moses.  Interestingly, their life span was not very different from ours.  You might recall, due to their sin, of those 20 or older when they left Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb would survive the 40 years of wondering and make it to the land of Canaan (Num. 14:29-34, Deut 1:34-40).  Moses was 80, and Aaron was 83 when they spoke to Pharaoh (Ex. 7:7), and Moses lived to be 120 (Josh. 34:7), and Aaron lived to be 123 (Num. 33:39).

Even if a person lives a long life, “their boast is only labor and sorrow” (10b).  Some translate “span” instead of boast.  (He looks at life from the standpoint of the physical body; he is not dealing with the spiritual.)  Some reach a certain age and think their longevity has to do with their own merit, i.e., they have survived when so many others have passed away and begin to have pride.

Even if we live a long time compared to others, death is still inevitable.  Our life on earth will “soon be cut off, and we fly away.”  Moses is speaking euphemistically of death when he says we “fly away.”  The expression “fly away” seems to  be used in this context in a negative sense, but many have received comfort from a song called “I’ll Fly Away.”  In Psalm 55:6, David pointed out, “. . . Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.”  In the context, facing oppression from his enemies, David may not be speaking of death, but be speaking of escaping to a better place . . . a place of rest.  When we “fly away,” if we are faithful servants of God, we will escape this world and go to a place of rest and peace.  One day, no matter how long we live, we will “fly away.”  We need to all be ready for that time.

Verse 11 asks, “Who knows the power of Your anger?  For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.”  This verse is similar to the first part of verse 9.  The idea is that people do not generally take the wrath of God seriously.  People look at God as a kind, over-indulgent grandfather and assume that His mercy and grace will result in sin being ignored.  Because of God’s mercy, we can be saved, but repentance and obedience are required.

Moses’ Prayer (vs. 12-17)

Verse 12 asks, “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Moses is not asking for an arithmetic lesson.  Instead, he is saying that the number of years we are going to live is not ours to know; we cannot count on living a particular amount of time on earth.  We are but frail human beings — life is very uncertain.  Since we can be “cut down” at any time, and one day God will judge us, we need to take advantage of each day we have and use every day to serve faithfully and to glorify God.

Ephesians 5:15-16 points out, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (NASB). The basic meaning of the word translated “make the most of” means to redeem.  Further, “The word generally means to buy up, to buy all that is anywhere to be bought, and not to allow the suitable moment to pass by unheeded but to make it one’s own” (The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament).

When a disaster occurs, people will often stock up their supplies.  Many will go to an extreme, going to different places and buying all they can.  Similarly, we are to take advantage of the time we have to diligently and enthusiastically serve God.  We are to recover our time from waste and restore it to some good and noble purpose.  One person put it like this, “When you kill time, remember it has no resurrection.”

We must “number” our days, recognizing that we have a limited number of them, and take advantage of the time we have to serve God faithfully.  There is a country song, which has the title, “Live Like You Were Dying.”  Do we do this?  Lord, “teach us to number our days.”  If we learn this lesson, we will have “a heart of wisdom” (12b).

Verse 13 says, “Return, O Lord!  How long?  And have compassion on Your servants.”  Verses 13-17 may be the focal point of the entire psalm and may indicate the purpose of the psalm.

There were many cases recorded in the Scriptures of Moses being in communication with God.  It may be, however, that there were long periods, maybe years, when He did not receive any direct revelation from God.  Often, the people complained; they did not want or appreciate his leadership.  There may have been dire needs caused by disease and famine.  During such times, he was probably appealing to God regularly.

Moses wanted to know how long before God returned.  He seems to be requesting God’s intervention and specific help.  In Psalm 13:1-2, David asked, “How long, O Lord?  Will You forget me forever?  How long will You hide Your face from me?  How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?  How long will my enemy be exalted over me?”  He further asked in Psalm 35:17, “Lord, how long will You look on?  Rescue me from their destructions, my precious life from the lions.”

Verses 14-15 say, (14) “Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!  (15) Make us glad according to the days in which you have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil.”

Most translate 14a as “in the morning” instead of “early.”  The idea seems to be, “after a night of trouble, give us a bright morning of peace and rest.”  They would receive this due to God’s mercy (Ps. 31:6-7).  The ESV renders verse 15 as “Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.”  He is saying, “Let us have good times for at least as long as we have suffered evil times.”

In verses 16- 17, the psalm concludes,   “Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children.”  (17) “And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.”

As noted, it may have been a long time since God had communicated with Moses.  It does not seem that Moses is showing impatience with God or a lack of belief.  He knew that with God, one day was “like yesterday” (v. 4).  Moses further knew they were under the discipline of God (v. 11).  However, he is asking God to respond with His mercy on behalf of Israel, and if He did, they would be full of joy and gladness.  He wanted God’s servants and their children (17) to see God’s glory and His beauty (“favor”- ESV), and their “works” (righteous works) would be established.

Waiting required Moses to have patience, however.  Consider the example of Noah.  God promised that the flood would come.  Noah patiently worked, but it was not until 120 years later that the flood happened.  During that time, he was a “preacher of righteousness” with full confidence in God (Gen. 6:3, 2 Pet. 2:5).

Today, we must patiently wait on the Lord amid hardships and trials.  In Psalm 27:14, the Psalmist exhorts, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!”

While waiting, we must persist in prayer.  Consider the lessons from the cases of the persistent widow (Lk. 18:1-8), the friend at midnight (Lk. 11:5-10), and Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7-9).  We see, in each case, the concept of patience and prayer.  We are also to consistently and regularly be involved in prayer (1 Thess. 5:17, Rom. 12:12), doing so with patience.  We should allow God to be our “dwelling place,” desiring the “beauty” of God to dwell on us no matter what happens in life.