S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Psalm 90 marks the beginning of Book Four of Psalms. Psalm 90 is the oldest psalm, written by Moses by the year 1440 BC. It is entitled "From Everlasting to Everlasting" and is noted as "A Prayer o...

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August 25 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

What can we learn from the prayer of Moses (Psalm 90)?

Psalm 90 is a profound reflection on the frailty of human life compared to the eternal nature of God. Through Moses's wilderness prayer, we learn to recognise the majesty of God, accept our own mortal limitations, and seek divine wisdom to live every single day purposefully.

The prayer offers several core lessons:

God is Our Ultimate Refuge: Moses begins by declaring that God has been humanity's dwelling place across all generations. Before anything else existed, God is eternal and self-existing, making Him a constant anchor.

Life is Fleeting: Human lifespans are brief and fragile, often likened to a dream or a shadow. Moses notes that our days quickly pass, urging us to accept our limitations without despair.

The Importance of Numbering Our Days: The psalm's defining plea is: "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (v. 12). This teaches us to be intentional stewards of our time, valuing every moment and aligning our lives with eternal priorities.

Seeking God's Favour: The prayer concludes with a request for God to establish the work of our hands. It teaches that our temporary human efforts only hold lasting meaning and purpose when God's grace and favour are upon them.

Psalm 90, written by Moses, is most likely the oldest, presuming it was written during Israel's wandering in the desert. This begins the fourth division of the Psalms (90—106) and was likely written after Israel refused to heed the Lord's command to enter and occupy Canaan (Numbers 13—14). The background for Psalm 90 is Israel's forty years of wandering in the desert and the perishing of a generation as a result of its disobedience. The psalm focuses on God's eternal nature and man's finite nature. It stresses God's anger against sin and appeals to His compassion to restore and bless His people.

Moses ends this prayer with a plea for God to rescue and enlighten His people. The cry of "how long" is a common one from the Old Testament (Psalm 6:3; 35:17; 89:46; Isaiah 6:11; Habakkuk 1:2). It's normal in the middle of hardship to wonder when, or even if, God will respond. And yet, Moses expresses faith that God will give Israel reasons to rejoice. He especially asks God to reveal Himself to the people and to encourage their faith. The psalm ends with a repeated request for God to bless Israel's efforts (Psalm 90:13–17).

Psalm 90:10, 12: Since life is short, we should "count our days." How? By bringing "a heart of wisdom in," or by exercising wisdom so that our remaining days are not wasted but are spent in a way that pleases Jehovah. This requires that we set spiritual priorities and use our time wisely.​—Ephesians 5:15, 16; Philippians 1:10.

Bible Scholar Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary on Psalm 90: 1-17 - Points out the following [From Bible Hub]:

Ps 90:1-17. Contrasting man's frailty with God's eternity, the writer mourns over it as the punishment of sin and prays for a return of the divine favour. A Prayer [mainly such] of Moses the man of God—(De 33:1; Jos 14:6); as such, he wrote this (see on [626]Ps 18:1, title, and [627]Ps 36:1, title).

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