Sunday, October 11, 2015

Psalm 90: God Is Timeless; We Are Temporary

Psalm 90 is ascribed to Moses, who knew a thing or two about the Lord.

Moses makes the point that, unlike us, God is eternal.  He exists "from everlasting to everlasting" (vs. 2).  To the one who revealed Himself as "I AM" at the burning bush, Moses confesses, "You are God" (vs. 2).

In contrast, we are like mere grass - here today, gone tomorrow (vs. 6).  All generations find their dwelling place in God, which makes Him timeless, while the number of our days is only 70 years or, at most, 80 (vs. 10).

In light of this basic math, Moses begs for mercy on behalf of humanity: "Have compassion on your servants," he pleads (vs. 13).  Moses asks for good, not harm, to come to people, so that they may rejoice rather than suffer.  He ends with the request, "Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands" (vs. 17).

This psalm recognizes the temporary, transitory nature of humanity and the timeless bedrock that is our Lord God.  Whenever you feel dismayed at the fleeting days we face in this life, may you find comfort in Psalm 90's reflection of God's unchanging, immortal, eternal nature.  We may only exist for a brief day; God is from everlasting to everlasting, a refuge for all generations!

No comments:

Post a Comment