Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 90:9

"For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: We bring our years to an end as a sigh." — Psalms 90:9 (ASV)

For all our days are passed away in your wrath (the margin offers "turned"). The Hebrew word פנה (pânâh) means "to turn;" then, to turn to or from anyone; and therefore, to turn away as if to flee or depart. Here it means that our days seem to turn from us, to turn their backs to us, to be unwilling to remain with us, to leave us. This seems to be the fruit or result of God's anger, as if he were unwilling that our days should stay with us any longer. Or, it is as if he took away our days, or caused them to turn away, because he was angry and unwilling that we should enjoy them any longer.

The cutting off of life in any manner is a proof of the divine displeasure; and in every instance, death should be regarded as a new illustration of the fact that the human race is guilty.

We spend our years as a tale that is told (the margin suggests "meditation"). The Hebrew word הגה (hegeh) properly means:

• A muttering, or growling, as of thunder.
• A sighing or moaning.
• A meditation, thought.

It means here, evidently, thought; that is, life passes away as rapidly as thought. It has no permanence. It makes no impression. Thought is no sooner come than it is gone. So rapid, so fleeting, so unsubstantial is life. The Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate, in some unaccountable way, render this "as a spider." The translation in our common version, "as a tale that is told," is equally unauthorized, as there is nothing corresponding to this in Hebrew. The image in the original is very striking and beautiful. Life passes with the rapidity of thought!