Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 90
PSALM XC.
The Title. A Prayer of Moſes the man of God.] See the Note Deut. 33.1. Many Expoſitours hold that this Pſalm was not compoſed by Moſes, but by David. But there being no great ſtrength in the reaſon they chiefly build upon, namely, that it is not probable that Moſes, who lived himſelf 120 years, Deut. 34.7. ſhould reckon threeſcore & ten, or at the moſt fourſcore years, to be the utmoſt extent of mans life, as it is here v.10. expreſſed (for this might be the common age that men lived to in thoſe times, though Moſes & ſome others had their days lengthened out to a far longer period;) therefore I ſee no reaſon why we ſhould not underſtand this Title, as the words do plainly hold forth, to wit, that this Pſalm is a prayer compoſed by Moſes, that man of God. Yea and very probable I judge it to be, which many ſay, that it was compoſed by Moſes for the uſe & comfort of the Iſraelites, after God had pronounced that ſentence againſt them, that they ſhould all die in the wilderneſs, that were twenty years old & upward when they came out of Egypt, ſave only Joſhua and Caleb, Numb. 14.29. and when, according to that ſentence, he found the people for many years together mouldering away: in regard whereof he might well bewail, as here he doth, the mortality of man, and pray to God, as it is verſ. 15. Make us glad according to the daies wherein thou haſt afflicted us, and the years wherein we have ſeen evil.
Verſ. 1. Lord, thou haſt been our dwelling-place in all generations.] As if he had ſaid, Though as ſtrangers we travell from one place to another, and have yet no ſettled dwelling-place; yet to our fathers in this very condition thou haſt been in all generations a dwelling-place, a houſe of refuge, yea ſo thou haſt hitherto been to us; thou haſt alwaies provided for them and us a place of ſhelter, where we might repoſe our ſelves, and be provided for; thou haſt been as a little Sanctuary to us, Ezek. 11.16. and therefore be ſo ſtill.
Verſ. 2. From everlaſting to everlaſting thou art God.] This is here inſerted, either 1. to ſhew that it was no wonder that God ſhould be a refuge to them in all generations, as he ſaid verſ. 1. ſeeing he was God from all eternity before ever the world was; or 2. becauſe the conſideration of Gods eternity doth make us the more ſenſible of mans frail and tranſitory condition, of which he intended now to treat; or 3. becauſe the eternity of God doth imply that all things had their being from God, and both have been alwaies and are ſtill governed by God, ſo that he is the ſupreme cauſe of all the changes that are in the creatures, himſelf in the mean ſeaſon being ſubject to no change, as all things here below are; and therefore to whom ſhould men flee for help, but to God?
Verſ. 3. Thou turneſt man to deſtruction, &c.] That is, to death, which is the diſſolution of ſoul and body; or to the grave, ſee the Notes Job 26.6, and 28.22. It is as if he had ſaid, Whilſt thou continueſt eternally the ſame, thou doſt ſuddenly bring man back to the earth, from whence he was taken, according to that ſentence which thou didſt paſſe againſt all mankind in Adam, Gen. 3.19. duſt thou art, and unto duſt thou shalt return. And to the ſame purpoſe is that which follows, and ſayeſt, Return ye children of men; that is, By a word of thy mouth, when thou pleaſeſt, thou calleſt men back, to wit, their bodies to the earth, and their ſpirits to God that gave them, Eccleſ. 12.7: and to whom therefore ſhould we ſeek for preſervation but to thee? I know many do otherwiſe underſtand this laſt clauſe, to wit, that having turned men to the very brink of the grave, God often calls them back, as it were, to continue longer in the world. But the firſt expoſition is doubtleſſe the beſt.
Verſ. 4. For a thouſand years, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, I may well ſay that man is ſuddenly turned to deſtruction; for ſuppoſe a man ſhould live a thouſand years, (which yet no man ever did, ſee Gen. 5.27.) alas, a thouſand years in thy ſight, that is, before thee, or in compariſon of thine eternity, or with thee, as Saint Peter alledgeth it 2 Pet. 3.8. are but as yesterday when it is paſt (which then is nothing; and beſides man judgeth better of the ſhortneſſe of time when it is paſt, then when it is paſſing) and as a watch in the night, that is, the ſpace of three hours: for by that Matth. 14.25. And in the fourth watch of the night Ieſus went unto them, it appears that of old they divided the night, conſiſting of twelve hours, into four watches, which ſeem to be intended by thoſe four diſtinct tearms Mark 13.35. at even, or at midnight, or at cock-crowing, or in the morning. And it may be alſo that he the rather mentioneth a watch in the night, either becauſe time ſeems to ſlip faſteſt away when men lye ſlumbering, ſcarce knowing whether they be aſleep or awake; or elſe becauſe he would alſo thereby covertly give a hint how full of darkneſſe the life of man is, by reaſon of his ignorance and manifold miſeries. However, that which Moſes intends here is the ſame that David ſaith Pſal. 39.15. mine age is as nothing before thee. For ſo Peter alledgeth this, to prove that Gods ſtaying long before he came to judgement was no delay with God, ſeeing a day and a thouſand years were all one with God, 2 Pet. 3.8. But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thouſand years, and a thouſand years as one day.
Verſ. 5. Thou carrieſt them away as with a floud, &c.] That is, ſo that there is no memoriall left of them, no more then there is of a floud, which overfloweth all for a time, but ſuddenly glideth away, & it is quite gone; or, they are ſuddenly ſwept away by a violent death, ſee the Note Job 22.16; beſides that every mans life doth ſoon paſſe away, (as is expreſſed in the foregoing verſes) men are oft cut off by ſudden caſualties and judgements: they are as a ſleep; to wit, that ſuddenly paſſeth away; or, as a ſleep, that is, as a dream when one ſleepeth, ſee the Notes Job 20.8. and Pſal. 73.20. As for the following clauſe, In the morning, that is, in their flouriſhing age, their childhood or youth, they are like graſſe which groweth up, if we read it, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, they are like graſſe which is changed, it may be underſtood of that change that is in graſſe, when being ſprouted out of the earth, it becomes more and more freſh and flouriſhing, and ſhooteth up with a flour; and then it intendeth the ſame with that tranſlation which is in our Bibles, to wit, that men in the morning of their years do uſually flouriſh like graſſe, that hath not yet felt the heat of the ſun. But commonly they that thus tranſlate the words, do underſtand it of the change that is wrought in graſſe when it withereth; in the morning they are like graſse which is changed, that is, they are like graſſe, which though it be freſh in the morning, yet preſently by the heat of the ſun it begins to flag, to change and wither.
Verſ. 7. For we are conſumed by thine anger, &c.] Divers things might by the Pſalmiſt be intended in theſe words: as 1. that it was Gods juſt anger againſt the ſin of Adam and Eve, that did firſt bring us to be ſubject to death; 2. that it was the ſame anger of God againſt the ſins of men, that cauſed him ſo exceedingly to ſhorten mens daies, in compariſon of what they were before the floud; and 3. that this was likewiſe the cauſe why the Iſraelites were daily conſumed in the wilderneſſe, ſee the Note Pſal. 78.33, and that they muſt needs periſh, when poor creatures, ſo frail by nature, had alſo the wrath of God lying ſo heavy upon them. And the ſame is alſo repeated again in the next clauſe, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Yet ſome would have this underſtood of their being troubled with being continually in fear of death; or of the minds terrours through the fear of eternall torments after death.
Verſ. 8. Thou haſt ſet our iniquities before thee, &c.] That is, Thou doſt not only know all our tranſgreſſions, but thou doſt alſo take notice of them, to puniſh us for them. For thence is this phraſe of Gods ſetting their iniquities before him, to wit, as men ſet up marks to ſhoot at; or as men are carefull to ſet thoſe things which they would not fail to remember, where they may be ſure to have them alwaies in their eye; or rather as judges are wont to ſet offenders before them, and to cauſe their offences to be openly laid forth and declared before they pronounce ſentence againſt them. Our ſecret ſinnes in the light of thy countenance; that is, thoſe ſins which we hide from others, or which we our ſelves are ignorant of, are clearly diſcovered before thy lightſome countenance, where the hidden things of darkneſſe are as viſible, as thoſe things that are done in the ſight of the Sun. And indeed this, when God begins to puniſh men for theſe ſins, they are wont to ſee and acknowledge, though they would not before.
Verſ. 9. For all our daies are paſsed away in thy wrath, &c.] That is, Thy wrath lyeth heavy upon us all our life long: we ſpend our years as a tale that is told; that is, they paſſe away in an inſtant; even as when a man ſpeaks, his words continue no longer then they are ſpeaking, but as faſt as they are uttered they paſſe away with a breath, and vaniſh into the air, and can by no means be recalled again; yea as when men tell ſome fooliſh tale, which is not worth the remembring, and which men forget as faſt as it is told.
Verſ. 10. The daies of our years are threeſcore years & ten, &c.] See the Note upon the Title of this Pſalm. It is as if he had ſaid, If to lengthen out the time of our lives, we reckon them by the daies we live, which will ſoon indeed amount to many thouſands, alas, all this will make but threeſcore and ten years; that is the uſuall time of mens lives now, whereas before the floud we ſee the Patriarks lived many hundred years. And if by reaſon of ſtrength they be fourſcore years, yet is their ſtrength labour and ſorrow; that is, if ſome, by reaſon of more then ordinary ſtrength of their conſtitution, do live to fourſcore years, yet notwithſtanding this their ſtrength, or even when they are in their greateſt ſtrength, their lives are uſually full of toil and trouble, and manifold miſeries and ſorrows: for it is ſoon cut off, and we flie away; that is, the ſtrength of men is ſoon decayed, and then we are gone in an inſtant.
Verſ. 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? &c.] This may be underſtood as ſpoken, either 1. by way of bewailing the ſad diſcovery of Gods anger againſt the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe, as if he had ſaid, Who is able to conceive or expreſſe how heavy the wrath of God lyeth now upon us? Or 2. by way of admiring the infinite and incomprehenſible power of God, manifeſted generally in the judgements wherewith he contends in his wrath againſt thoſe that ſin againſt him; or rather the wonderfull power that is in the wrath of God to awaken and terrify the children of men; Who knoweth the power of thine anger? that is, Who is able to expreſſe or think how terrible thy wrath is to ſuch poor creatures as men are, when once thou makeſt it manifeſt that thou art offended with them? As long as thou hideſt thy diſpleaſure, they are fearleſſe, and proudly exalt themſelves againſt thee: but when thou makeſt them ſee thou art angry with them, then they tremble, and their ſpirits fail them. Or elſe 3. by way of exclaiming againſt the ſtupidity of men; Who knoweth the power of thine anger? as if he had ſaid, Alas, How few are there that know or conſider, or ſeriouſly lay to heart the power of thine anger! nothing will make men fear thy wrath; but even when thy wrath is diſcovered againſt them, yet they ruſh headlong upon the pikes of thy diſpleaſure. And accordingly we muſt alſo underſtand the following clauſe, even according to thy fear, ſo is thy wrath, one of theſe two waies: to wit, either 1. that there is as much danger and terrour in Gods wrath, as men can poſſibly fear: or 2. that according as men fear God, ſo they are ſenſible of his diſpleaſure: they that fear not God, care not for any diſcoveries of his anger againſt them; but they that fear God, are tenderly fearfull of every token of his diſpleaſure, and very ready to humble themſelves under his hand.
Verſ. 12. So teach us to number our daies, &c.] See the Note Pſal 39.4.
Verſ. 13. Return, (O Lord) how long? &c.] This doubtleſſe is ſpoken with reſpect to the wandring of the Iſraelites ſo many years in the wilderneſſe; (if not alſo to their long bondage in Egypt) as appears by the following words, and let it repent thee concerning thy ſervants: ſee alſo verſ. 15.
Verſ. 14. O ſatisfy us early with thy mercy, &c.] That is, By ſhewing us mercy ſpeedily, ſatisfy our ſouls with the aſſurance that thou haſt pardoned our ſins, and doſt love us and own us as thy people: ſee the Note Deut. 33.23.
Verſ. 16. Let thy work appear unto thy ſervants, &c.] That is, Make it appear by thy working for us, that thou art pacifyed towards us; or rather, Let that which thou wilt doe for thy ſervants, or which thou haſt promiſed our forefathers that thou wilt doe for us, appear and be made manifeſt before our eyes; let us ſee it done. And moſt probable it is, that this is particularly meant of that great work which God had promiſed to doe for them, to wit, that he would give them the land of Canaan for a poſſeſſion: ſo that it is in effect as if he had ſaid, Let it appear that thou haſt not brought us out of Egypt in vain; perfect the work begun by bringing us into the promiſed land. Yet by theſe words thy work may be meant any ſpeciall work of mercy; becauſe that is Gods chief work, yea his proper work, in regard of his Church. When the Lord hides himſelf from his people, and puniſheth them, he appears then as an enemy, rather then a father; and ſo that may be called his ſtrange work, as it is Iſa. 28.21: but when he doeth them good, that is his own proper work: and hence, ſay ſome, is this expreſſion, Let thy work appear unto thy ſervants, and thy glory unto their children; that is, Glorify thy ſelf by the greatneſſe of thy mercy to them, and the great and glorious works thou ſhalt doe for them. And this alſo may be meant particularly of his carrying them into the land of Canaan.
Verſ. 17. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, &c.] That is, his grace & ſavour; wch is ca…led here the beauty of the Lord, either becauſe the ſpecial grace which God affords his people, in protecting & bleſſing them, &c. renders him beautifull & amiable in their eyes, yea cauſeth his glory to ſhine forth in the eyes of all men, making it manifeſt that he is the only true almighty God; (& ſo did particularly his carrying the Iſraelites into the land of Canaan, which ſeems to be here deſired by Moſes;) or elſe becauſe Gods favour to his Church and people is their beauty and glory, it makes them to be admired and highly eſteemed by thoſe that take notice of it; whereas if God withdraws himſelf, and ſhines not favourably upon them, they become an obſcure and baſe deſpiſed people. And establish thou the work of our hands upon us; that is, direct and make good, and proſper in us and to us what we ſhall undertake; by thy ſpirit direct us to yield obedience in all things, and then let thy bleſſing be upon our endeavours: yea, the work of our hands eſtablish thou it; that is, let thy continued ayd and bleſſing carry on what we undertake, even unto the end.