Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 90:11

"Who knoweth the power of thine anger, And thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto thee?" — Psalms 90:11 (ASV)

Who knoweth the power of thine anger? — Who can measure it, or take a correct estimate of it, as it is manifested in cutting down the human race? If the removal of people by death is to be traced to your anger—or is, in any proper sense, an expression of your wrath—who can measure it, or understand it?

The cutting down of whole generations of people—of nations, of hundreds of millions of human beings, of the great, the powerful, the mighty, as well as the weak and the feeble—is an amazing exhibition of the power—of the might—of God; and who is there that can fully understand this?

Who can fully estimate the wrath of God, if this is to be regarded as an expression of it? Who can comprehend what this is? Who can tell, after such an exhibition, what may be in reserve, or what further and more fearful displays of wrath there may yet be?

Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. — literally, “And according to thy fear, thy wrath.”

The word rendered “fear” would here seem to refer to the “reverence” due to God, or to what there is in his character to inspire awe: namely, his power, his majesty, his greatness.

And the sense seems to be that his wrath or anger, as manifested in cutting down the human race, is commensurate with all in God that is vast, wonderful, and incomprehensible. As no one can understand or take in the one, so no one can understand or take in the other.

God is great in all things; great in himself; great in his power in cutting down the human race; great in the expressions of his displeasure.