The Book of Psalms Paraphrased, Book 4 · Psalm 90
PSALM XC.
A Prayer of Moſes, the man of God.
ARGUMENT.
Here begins the FOƲRTH Book of Pſalms: in this differing from the reſt, that as thoſe of the firſt Book are moſt of them aſcribed to David, and thoſe of the ſecond, in great part to the Sons of Korah, and thoſe of the third to Aſaph; ſo there are few of theſe, whoſe Authour is certainly known: and therefore, I ſuppoſe, were all put together, in one and the ſame Collection. The firſt of them indeed being made by Moſes, the Hebrews have entertained a conceit (which Saint Hierom and Saint Hilary alſo follow) that he was the Authour alſo of the Ten next immediately inſuing. But, as there is no reaſon for that (it will appear in due place) ſo I can ſee no cauſe why we ſhould fancy David, or ſome of the Children of Moſes in his time, or a ſinger of that name (as Aben Ezra conjectures) to have compoſed this preſent Pſalm: when not onelyonly the Title expreſly gives it to that Moſes who was the Man of God (as their Law giver is called XXXIII. Deut. 1.) or that famous Prophet, by whom God ſpake to them; but the Chaldee Paraphraſe, and the very matter of the Pſalm ſufficiently ſhew, that it was a Meditation of his, when the people offended ſo highly againſt God in the Wilderneſs (eſpecially by murmuring at the Relation the Spies brought them of the good Land, XIV. Numb.) that He ſhortned their lives, to ſeventy or eighty years at the moſt; and ſuffered them not to arrive at the age of their Anceſtours, or of Moſes, Caleb and Joſhua: whoſe lives he prolonged to an hundred and twenty years.
Which grievous puniſhment Moſes prays God, they may lay to heart ſeriouſly, and ſo recover his favour, (Ver. 12, &c.) who is the eternal God, as he tells them (in the beginning of the Pſalm) and had been, in a particular manner, kind to their Progenitours in former Generations.
This is the ſubſtance of the Pſalm: which the Collectour of this Book, thought fit to place in the very beginning of it; becauſe of the great antiquity of this Pſalm, and the dignity of its Authour.
1. LORD, thou haſt been our dwelling-place in all generations.
1. O Lord, who ſuſtaineſt and governeſt the whole world, Thou haſt been the conſtant Protectour of our Nation for many Ages: having afforded all things neceſſary for the defence and ſecurity of our Forefathers, Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob; when they had no certain dwelling-place, but were ſtrangers in the Land whither we are going: and ſupported us in the Land of Egypt; where, in a time of dearth, Thou madeſt an ample proviſion for us; as Thou haſt alſo done hitherto, in this barren deſert.
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.
2. Where, though we have no Towns nor Houſes, we ought to think our ſelves ſafe; and to truſt in Thee, who art the ſame mighty God, Thou ever waſt (not onelyonly before we and our Forefathers were made, but before the mountains aroſe out of the waters, and Thou commandedſt the reſt of the earth, and this beautifull world to appear) and ever wilt be, whatever changes there be here, without any alteration.
3. Thou turneſt man to deſtruction: and ſayeſt, Return ye children of men.
3. We have highly offended Thee indeed, and ſo did our firſt Parents; who became thereby moſt wretched and miſerable Creatures, and were doomed by Thee to return to the duſt, out of which they were formed: as all their poſterity muſt do, whenſoever Thou ſummoneſt them to obey that ſentence, Thou haſt paſſed upon them.
4. For a thouſand years in thy ſight are but as yeſterday when it is paſt, and as a watch in the night.
4. And ſhould we have a reprieve for a longer time, then our firſt Father Adam, and ſome of his ſucceſſours had, who lived near to a thouſand years; we ſhould be wretched ſtill: eſpecially, when we compared our ſelves with Thee; in whoſe account the longeſt life is as inconſiderable as one day, and that when it is ſpent and gone; nay, as three or four hours, which paſs away in ſleep.
5. Thou carrieſt them away as with a floud, they are as a ſleep: in the morning they are like graſs which groweth up.
5. But alas! in theſe ages Thou carrieſt men away ſuddenly; as a violent torrent doth thoſe things, it meets withall in its paſſage: they vaniſh like a dream, when we awake; and are as graſs, which in the morning is grown higher and ſtronger then it was;
6. In the morning it flouriſheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down and withereth.
6. But, how flouriſhing and freſh ſoever it then appear, is cut down before night, and loſes all its beauty: ſuch is the frailty of man; who now is in vigorous health, and anon languiſhes, and falls to the earth.
7. For we are conſumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
7. This, I am ſure, is our condition; who have ſo provoked Thee to anger by our ſins, that we periſh in an inſtant, (XVI. Numb. 35, 46.) and are perpetually diſturbed with dreadfull apprehenſions of thy heavieſt diſpleaſure, XVII. Numb. 12, 13.
8. Thou haſt ſet our iniquities before thee: our ſecret ſins in the light of thy countenance.
8. After many threatnings, Thou haſt proceeded, as a righteous Judge, to call us to a ſevere account for all our foul crimes; though never ſo ſecretly committed: and makeſt it appear, by our puniſhments, to all the world (XIV. Numb. 20, &c.) that we are a perverſe generation; though we pretend to thy ſervice.
9. For all our days are paſſed away in thy wrath: we ſpend our years as a tale that is told.
9. For we conſtantly feel ſome effects or other of thine anger; whereby our lives decline exceeding faſt, and many times, before we can ſay what's this, is at an end.
10. The days of our year 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 flie away.
10. We fall ſhort of the days of our Forefathers; being now all doomed to periſh in the Wilderneſs, and not to exceed, commonly, the age of LXX. or (if men be of a vigorous conſtitution) at moſt of LXXX. years: the beſt part of which alſo, is ſpent in toilſome travels (XX. Num. 14. XXI. 4. XXXI. 11. II. Deut. 1, 3, &c.) and much ſorrow and vexation; to ſee the ſtrongeſt among us, cut down like graſs in a moment, or at leaſt making great haſte unto their graves.
11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, ſo is thy wrath.
11. And yet alas! who is there that ſeriouſly conſiders and lays to heart, the dreadfull effects of thy diſpleaſure; which irreſiſtibly falls upon us? (XXV. Num. 1, 2, 3, &c.) or with ſuch a pious fear, as it ought to excite, takes any care to prevent more terrible puniſhments, then thoſe we have felt already?
12. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wiſedom.
12. Lord, do Thou touch us with a ſenſe of thy judgments; that we may not preſume thus fooliſhly to offend Thee, as our Fathers have done: but, making a juſt account of the ſhortneſs and uncertainty of our lives, may wiſely apply our ſelves to make the beſt uſe we can of them, in repenting of our ſins.
13. Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy ſervants.
13. And then be pleaſed to turn thy ſeverity into kindneſs towards us: Let it ſuffice, good Lord, that we have indured ſo many and long puniſhments; and now at laſt revoke or mitigate the ſentence Thou haſt paſt upon us, who, though very diſobedient, are thy ſervants.
14. O ſatisfie us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
14. O let us ſee ſome appearance of thy love to us; which may ſatisfie and chear our languiſhing ſouls, like the morning light after a tedious night: and inſtead of ſighs and groans, fill us with ſhouts of joy, all the remainder of our days.
15. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou haſt afflicted us, and the years wherein we have ſeen evil.
15. Compenſate our paſt troubles with future comforts; and make our happineſs to equal, if not exceed, the miſery we have ſuffered.
16. Let thy work appear unto thy ſervants, and thy glory unto their children.
16. Declare to all the world, that Thou haſt not quite forſaken us thy ſervants: but wilt ſtill work wonders for us; and doe more glorious and magnificent things for our Children, though we have ſinned againſt Thee, XX. Numb. 17, 18, &c. XXXI. 2. II. Deut. 25. III. 24.
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.
17. Let them inherit, by the ſpecial favour of the Lord our God, that lovely and pleaſant Land, (XLIX. Gen. 15. VIII. Deut. 7, 8, &c.) which He hath promiſed to give us: and, for that end, direct and proſper our arms; that what we ſhall attempt in vain, if we be left to our ſelves, may ſucceſsfully be atchieved by thy aſſiſtence, (VIII. Deut. 17, 18, &c. XXXI. 6, 7, 8.) O proſper Thou our undertaking; and make our arms victorious.