Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 90
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 90
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 90
"Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place In all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Thou turnest man to destruction, And sayest, Return, ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight Are but as yesterday when it is past, And as a watch in the night. Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: In the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; In the evening it is cut down, and withereth." — Psalms 90:1-6 (ASV)
It is supposed that this psalm refers to the sentence passed on Israel in the wilderness (Numbers 14). The favour and protection of God are the only sure rest and comfort of the soul in this evil world. Christ Jesus is the refuge and dwelling-place to which we may turn. We are dying creatures, all our comforts in the world are dying comforts, but God is an ever-living God, and believers find him so.
When God, by sickness, or other afflictions, turns men to destruction, he thereby calls men to return to him to repent of their sins, and live a new life. A thousand years are nothing to God's eternity: between a minute and a million of years there is some proportion; between time and eternity there is none. All the events of a thousand years, whether past or to come, are more present to the Eternal Mind, than what was done in the last hour is to us.
And in the resurrection, the body and soul will both return and be united again. Time passes unobserved by us, as with men asleep; and when it is past, it is as nothing. It is a short and quickly-passing life, as the waters of a flood. Man only flourishes as the grass, which, when the winter of old age comes, will wither; but he may be mown down by disease or disaster.
"For we are consumed in thine anger, And in thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, Our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: We bring our years to an end as a sigh. The days of our years are threescore years and ten, Or even by reason of strength fourscore years; Yet is their pride but labor and sorrow; For it is soon gone, and we fly away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger, And thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto thee?" — Psalms 90:7-11 (ASV)
The afflictions of the saints often come from God's love; but the rebukes of sinners, and of believers for their sins, must be seen coming from the displeasure of God. Secret sins are known to God, and will be accounted for. See the folly of those who try to cover their sins, for they cannot do so.
Our years, when gone, can no more be recalled than the words that we have spoken. Our whole life is toilsome and troublesome; and perhaps, in the midst of the years we expect, it is cut off. We are taught by all this to stand in awe.
The angels that sinned know the power of God's anger; sinners in hell know it; but which of us can fully describe it? Few seriously consider it as they ought.
Those who mock sin and make light of Christ surely do not know the power of God's anger. Who among us can dwell with that devouring fire?
"So teach us to number our days, That we may get us a heart of wisdom. Return, O Jehovah; how long? And let it repent thee concerning thy servants. Oh satisfy us in the morning with thy lovingkindness, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, And the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, And thy glory upon their children. And let the favor 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. " — Psalms 90:12-17 (ASV)
Those who wish to learn true wisdom must pray for divine instruction. They must also beg to be taught by the Holy Spirit, and seek comfort and joy in the returns of God's favour.
They pray for the mercy of God, for they do not presume to plead any merit of their own.
His favour would be a full fountain of future joys and a sufficient balance to former griefs.
Let the grace of God in us produce the light of good works. And let divine consolations bring gladness to our hearts and a lustre to our countenances.
The work of our hands, establish it; and, to that end, establish us in it.
Instead of wasting our precious, fleeting days pursuing empty illusions, which leave those who chase them forever poor, let us seek the forgiveness of sins and an inheritance in heaven.
Let us pray that the work of the Holy Spirit may appear in converting our hearts, and that the beauty of holiness may be seen in our conduct.
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