John Calvin 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 thy anger? Moses again returns to speak of the specific afflictions of the Israelites, for he had also on this occasion complained before of the common frailty and miseries of mankind. He justly exclaims that the power of God’s wrath is immeasurably great. So long as God withholds his hand, people wantonly leap about like runaway slaves who are no longer afraid at the sight of their master; nor can their rebellious nature be reduced to obedience in any other way than by his striking them with the fear of his judgment.

The meaning then is, that while God hides himself and, so to speak, conceals his displeasure, people are inflated with pride and rush into sin with reckless impetuosity; but when they are compelled to feel how dreadful his wrath is, they forget their loftiness and are reduced to nothing. What follows, According to thy fear, so is thy wrath, is commonly explained as meaning that the more a person is inspired with reverence for God, the more severely and sternly they are commonly dealt with; for judgment begins at the house of God, (1 Peter 4:17). While he pampers the reprobate with the good things of this life, he afflicts his chosen ones with continual troubles; and in short, whom he loveth he chasteneth, (Hebrews 12:6). It is then a true and profitable doctrine that he deals more roughly with those who serve him than with the reprobate.

But Moses, I think, has here a different meaning, which is, that it is a holy awe of God, and that alone, which makes us truly and deeply feel his anger. We see that the reprobate, although they are severely punished, only chafe upon the bit, or kick against God, or become exasperated, or are stupefied, as if they were hardened against all calamities; so far are they from being subdued.

And though they are full of trouble and cry aloud, yet the Divine anger does not so penetrate their hearts as to abate their pride and fierceness. The minds of the godly alone are wounded with the wrath of God; nor do they wait for his thunderbolts, to which the reprobate hold out their hard and iron necks, but they tremble the very moment when God moves only his little finger.

This I consider to be the true meaning of the prophet. He had said that the human mind could not sufficiently comprehend the dreadfulness of the Divine wrath. And we see how, although God shakes heaven and earth, many notwithstanding, like the giants of old, treat this with derision and are driven by such brutish arrogance, that they despise him when he brandishes his bolts.

But as the Psalmist is discussing a doctrine which properly belongs to true believers, he affirms that they have a strongly sensitive feeling of the wrath of God which makes them quietly submit to his authority. Although to the wicked their own conscience is a tormentor which does not allow them to enjoy repose, yet so far is this secret dread from teaching them to humble themselves, that it excites them to clamor against God with increasing rebelliousness. In short, the faithful alone are sensitive to God’s wrath; and being subdued by it, they acknowledge that they are nothing, and with true humility devote themselves wholly to Him. This is wisdom to which the reprobate cannot attain, because they cannot lay aside the pride with which they are inflated. They are not touched with the feeling of God’s wrath, because they do not stand in awe of him.