Psalm 90 (89):4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"O Lord," he proclaims, "Thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation." (Psalm 89:1) This may refer to every generation, or perhaps to two distinct ones—the old and the new—highlighting Moses as the servant of the Old Covenant and the prophet of the New. Jesus Himself, the Mediator of that covenant and the Bridegroom of the new era, states, "If ye had believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me" (John 5:46). It is unlikely that Moses authored the entirety of this psalm, as it lacks the unique expressions found in his songs; rather, his name is invoked to draw the reader’s or listener’s focus.

The psalmist continues, explaining how God became our refuge—He was not previously this for us, not because He did not exist, but as noted in Psalm 89:2, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world," and hence, "from everlasting to everlasting Thou art God." O Lord, who exists eternally, before the world was, Thou hast been our refuge since we turned to Thee. The phrase "before the mountains..." carries profound significance; mountains are symbols of the highest parts of the earth. If God was present before creation, including both earth and heaven, it seems redundant to specify His existence prior to the mountains. Yet, this may indicate that mountains represent the heights of the angelic realm, while the earth denotes the humility of humanity. While we may rightly say that all creation is either created or formed, one can note that angels, listed among the heavens, were indeed created by His command. Meanwhile, the earth was formed to facilitate the creation of man in physical form. Scripture affirms this when stating, "God created man of the dust of the ground" (Genesis 2:7). Creation itself signifies that before the noblest aspects of being were created, the earth existed to allow for the worshippers on earth; such reflections of time or duration hold little weight because all things began either within time or in eternity, where "Thou art from everlasting to everlasting."

It is more accurate to say "from everlasting to everlasting," as God, who transcends ages, does not have a beginning or end. Some theological terms may inadvertently confuse eternal existence with temporal existence, but the biblical assertion emphasizes God's eternal "I AM" (Exodus 3:14). As the psalmist notes, "Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not end." We should gaze toward eternity—our refuge—to escape the fleeting nature of time and dwell with Him forever.

However, recognizing that our earthly lives are fraught with challenges, we must be vigilant that these do not divert us from our refuge. Thus, we turn to the prayer of the servant of God, "Turn not man to humiliation" (Psalm 89:3), imploring God not to let humanity be drawn away from eternal truths by the lures of the temporal, worldly desires. This prayer reflects a divine command: “Lead us not into temptation” (Matthew 6:13). He goes on to say, “Turn, O you children of men,” appealing to us to heed His command, praising His grace, that the one who boasts may only do so in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31). Without God’s assistance, we cannot effectively resist life’s temptations.

For "a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past" (Psalm 89:4), implying that we should direct our attention toward God—our refuge—where He remains unchanged amidst the transitory nature of our surroundings. Even if we desire longevity in this life, to God, a thousand years appear merely as a day gone by, but not as tomorrow to come. All finite periods seem as past in His eternal perspective. Hence, the Apostle seeks to attain what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13), which equates to eternal matters, while admonishing us to forget temporal ones.

The psalm teaches that divine time does not conform to human measurements; thus, comparing a day to a thousand years illustrates the futility of trying to restrict God’s scope to human timelines—a mere watch in the night (which lasts three hours) serves only as a brief moment in His eternal plan. Yet, some have misguidedly sought to confine God's actions to human limitations.

Furthermore, the servant of God, or the prophetic spirit, recites a divine decree about the futility of life, asserting, "Their years are as a vapor: in the morning let them flourish as grass" (Psalm 89:5). This reflects the ephemeral nature of happiness in mortal lives and signifies that what appears as a blessing is temporary and fleeting. The comparison of these years to grass underscores the transience of physical existence; as flora withers, so too will humanity, all in recognition of the sin that invokes divine disfavor, leading to decay.

Recognizing our weakness, the psalmist notes, "For we are consumed by Thy wrath, and by Thy anger we are troubled" (Psalm 89:7). This articulates the fear of death—stemming from our frail humanity—while indicating that we have become weak and even fearful to confront our condition. Another will gird you and take you where you do not desire (John 21:18), which references the journey toward martyrdom, with the Lord mourning our transformation.

Our transgressions are presented to Him (Psalm 89:8), as His fair judgment reflects our wrongdoings under His right hand. Indeed, "For all our days are passed away" (Psalm 89:9) indicates that our submission to death is a consequence of sin, evident in the brevity of our lives. As reality fades, like a spider's web, our years vanish swiftly (Psalm 89:10), underscoring existence filled with toil and sorrow.

This briefness and the challenges surrounding human existence highlight the necessity of seeking eternal salvation, recognizing that God's mercy is present even amid discipline (Hebrews 12:6). The Lord chastens those He loves, molding them through trials to fulfill His purposes.

"Who knows the power of Thy wrath?" (Psalm 89:11), indicates that true comprehension of divine displeasure is rare among humanity. Many experience the illusion of God's neglect while enduring chastisement aimed at salvation rather than destruction.

"Make Thy hand known" (Psalm 89:12), refers to Christ, through whom we come to understand God's righteous ways better. He offers revelation of eternal truths opposed to mere earthly reward, directing our hopes toward what is lasting and true.

Moreover, those who are "bound in heart by wisdom" grow in understanding (Psalm 89:13). It highlights a transformation occurring in those who surrender their lives to God, dispelling earthly attachments for the sake of eternal truths. In a world marked by persecution, steadfastness in faith prevails, creating a firm heart even amid suffering.

Finally, the prayer acknowledges the forward-looking hope of divine favor. "Feed us with Thy mercy in the morning" (Psalm 89:14) sparks the anticipation of future blessings amid trials. Only in divine presence is there genuine satisfaction and joy, leading us towards completion in Him (Psalm 16:11). Our rejoicing and gladness persist through our earthly pilgrimage, longing for that eternal fulfillment of joy, as we wait to behold God’s glory openly revealed. Thus we cry out for His mercy, mindful of our frail condition yet ever hopeful and striving after the true riches found in Christ.

Thus, if all the time of the world equates to one day, it follows that within the ages are its hours, or more accurately, these ages represent hours. And since there are twelve hours in a day, we refer to Romans 13:12 and John 11:9. Accordingly, through a sacramental lens, the day represents Christ, who appointed twelve apostles that radiated with celestial light and were blessed with a variety of graces.

“And thou sayest, Turn ye the sons of men.” So You say, Turn ye, O sons of men; which means we do not ask in vain, for we are confident that You will heed our supplications and transform our current sufferings by guiding us to repent and abandon our former deceitfulness.

The Lord says, “Let me not fall into this humility after I have sought You.” Moreover, there is a call for repentance, expressed as, “Turn ye, ye sons of men,” a repeated theme found in various passages throughout Moses' writings: “Therefore receive us who turn to Thee.”

This leads them to cling to their current lives as if they were destined to endure for a millennium. Each person, in relation to others, dares to envision a prolonged existence. Hence, Moses stirs us from our complacency by urging us to contemplate the boundless eternity of life, which helps us comprehend the fleeting and insubstantial nature of our earthly journey. The notion of a lengthy life resembles a dream, in which we are all steeped until the contemplation of eternity dispels this illusion. People are profoundly shortsighted in this regard; thus, he presents God as the ultimate judge, suggesting, "Lord, if humanity had always held eternity in their hearts, from where You perceive their triviality, they would regard this present life as worthless." However, due to their neglect and willful disregard for heavenly truths, they act foolishly, perceiving a single day as comparable to a hundred years. This observation is noteworthy: when Moses sensed humanity’s apathy, he approached God as though lamenting that he was addressing those incapable of hearing the truth, who remained oblivious to their ephemeral nature, even after ages of experience. Consequently, he compresses a thousand years into a single day and likens it to the previous day that has already slipped away, deeming what has passed as unworthy of remembrance. Regarding the night watch, it is understood that the ancients segmented the night into four watches, each consisting of three hours. This analogy serves to humble our arrogance, emphasizing that to God, a thousand years holds no greater significance than a mere three hours of night—an interval during which individuals often blur the lines between wakefulness and slumber.