Psalm 90 (89):5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This psalm is referred to as "The Prayer of Moses, the Servant of God." Through Moses, God delivered the law to His people and freed them from bondage, guiding them through the wilderness for forty years. Thus, Moses served both as a minister of the Old Testament and as a prophet of the New Testament. As the Apostle states, all these events occurred as examples for us, and are recorded for our instructive benefit, as we are those upon whom the end of the ages has come (1 Corinthians 10:11). Therefore, in light of the honor bestowed upon Moses, this psalm warrants exploration given that it is derived from his prayer.

The psalm opens with the affirmation, "O Lord, Thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation" (Psalm 89:1), signifying either across all generations or specifically during the old and new covenants. As previously mentioned, Moses was a Servant of the Covenant pertaining to the old and a Prophet of the Covenant associated with the new. Jesus, the Surety of this covenant—the Bridegroom who entered into union with humanity—remarks, "If ye had believed Moses, ye would have believed Me, for he wrote of Me" (John 5:46). It is not to be assumed that Moses solely composed this psalm, as it lacks his distinctive expressions; rather, his name is invoked to draw the attention of readers and listeners alike. He states that God has been our refuge through all generations.

Next, he elaborates on how God has become our refuge, indicating that God was not a refuge prior to our turning to Him; this does not imply His non-existence before His role as our refuge. "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God" (Psalm 89:2). You, O eternal God, exist beyond time and before creation, and have served as our refuge since we have turned to You. The phrase "before the mountains" bears a particular significance, for mountains symbolize the heights of creation, and if God existed before the earth was formed, then to state that He existed before the mountains is to emphasize His preeminence over all creation, including both heaven and earth.

It can be understood that the entirety of creation is represented by this distinction: the elevation of angels akin to mountains and the humility of humanity represented by the earth. What is implied here is that while it is typical to say that created things are either made or formed, in a more fitting context, it may be the angels who were made, as illustrated in Scripture where it states, "He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast." The earth was created for the purpose of bringing forth mankind in physical form, as it is recorded, "God formed man out of the dust of the ground" (Genesis 2:7).

Prior to the creation of the earth, the noblest parts of creation were formed, showing that human existence is grounded in the divine intent to have worshippers on earth. Although all created things began within time, You alone are from everlasting to everlasting. It is more appropriate to say "from everlasting to everlasting" since God exists outside of any beginning or end, unfettered by time itself. Often in Scripture, an ambiguous Greek term leads Latin translators to mistakenly interchange "age" for "eternity" and vice versa. Yet, it is significant that He did not say, "Thou hast been from everlasting, and ever shall be," but rather indicates the present, demonstrating that God's essence is completely unchangeable. It is not that He was and will be, but that He simply is, confirmed by the declarations, "I AM that I AM" and "I AM hath sent Me unto you" (Exodus 3:14).

"As for the children of men, Thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed; but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall have no end." Let us seek refuge in eternity, escaping the transience of our temporal existence to dwell there forever. However, since our earthly lives are rife with great trials, we must safeguard ourselves against being swayed away from this refuge.

Consequently, the prayer of the Servant of God implores, "Turn not man to humiliation" (Psalm 89:3). In other words, do not let man be drawn away from heavenly and eternal matters while pursuing fleeting, earthly desires. This plea aligns with God’s own directive, "Lead us not into temptation" (Matthew 6:13). Furthermore, he entreats, "Turn again, ye children of men," suggesting that what he diligently requests of God is in accordance with His command. He acknowledges God's grace that the one who exalts himself ought to boast in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31), as without divine assistance, we cannot, through our own efforts, overcome the trials of this life.

When he states, "A thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past" (Psalm 89:4), he underscores the urgency of seeking refuge in the immutable God, as earthly experiences are fleeting. Whatever span we may wish to dwell upon this temporal life, a thousand years are merely like yesterday to You, underscoring that what we term "time" pales in Your eternal essence. The Apostle boldly seeks that which is ahead (Philippians 3:13), aspiring toward eternal truths while letting go of temporal concerns.

In addressing the notion of time, he further clarifies that a thousand years should not suggest that God's days are exceedingly lengthy, rather to diminish the significance of temporal duration. He continues, "As a watch in the night," lasting only a few hours. However, many presume to define chronological periods, misleading others about divine timing, to which our Lord responded, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power" (Acts 1:7). These claimants pinpoint a timeline of six thousand years based on six days' account, failing to heed the previous declaration of "like a day that is past." The brevity of the watch at night serves as a caution against miscalculating the ephemeral nature of seasons, pointing out that even God’s creative work in six days does not conform to their rationale.

Moreover, the Servant of God, or rather the prophetic spirit, recounts a divine decree inscribed in the secret wisdom of God, delineating the temporal and troubled nature of human life: "Their years are as a tale that is told; in the morning let them flourish, and in the evening let them wither and die" (Psalm 89:5). This portrayal encapsulates the inherent fragility of the happiness sought in the Old Covenant, which Moses articulates as "Their years are valued for naught." Thus, what comes into existence swiftly departs, likened to morning grass that withers.

Acknowledging that this fate serves as a consequence for sin, he readily admits, "For we are consumed by Thine anger, and by Thy wrath are we troubled" (Psalm 89:7). Our frailty resides in the fears of mortality; we feel weakness, yet dread to confront our weakness. "Another will gird thee, and carry you where you don't wish to go" (John 21:18). This is not out of punishment, but is meant to crown believers; Christ's soul, in unifying us with Himself, experiences sorrow as His mortal exit foreshadows death. Through this, God has placed before Him our transgressions, manifesting our lives under the scrutiny of His radiant presence.

“For all our days are passed away in Thy wrath; we spend our years as a tale that is told” (Psalm 89:9). This affirms that our resignation to death serves as reprimand. Our fleeting days remind us either of the lost love for temporary pleasures or their dwindling number; each year resembles that of a spider's web. "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years" (Psalm 89:10). Herein lies a reflection on the brevity and emptiness of existence, for often seventy years signifies old age, yet even those who reach eighty often find such years laden with labor and sorrow.

Interestingly, some endure the trials of life long before attaining seventy, experiencing infirmity and despair. Conversely, some display vigor well beyond eighty. Hence, there may be a deeper, spiritual interpretation of these numbers. The severity of divine wrath cannot be more pressing for Adam's sins (from whom sin entered into the world, leading to death, as confirmed in Romans 5:12) despite his shorter lifespan than that of earlier generations, especially considering the lengthy lives of those who sparked God’s anger prior to the Flood.

Thus, the seventy and eighty years symbolize one hundred and fifty—a sacred number alluded to within the Psalms. One hundred and fifty shares a relational significance with fifteen, as the latter represents the sum of seven and eight: the former indicating the Old Testament rest, the latter referencing the New, associated with the resurrection of our Lord. Hence, the fifteen steps in the Temple and the fifteen Songs of Ascents in the Psalms. Even the waters from the Flood rose beyond the highest mountains by fifteen cubits (Genesis 7:20).

Our years, likened to a spider's web, signify the transient pursuit of perishable things. As noted by the prophet Isaiah, "Their webs shall not become garments" (Isaiah 59:6). The days of our years are transient; a distinction such as "in themselves" might refer to the temporality signified by seventy, whereas "in power" implies the enduring hope of eternity found in eighty. Thus, even if we reach this latter phase, strength results only in labor and sorrow, hinting that those who exceed this faith in pursuit of more risk their fate.

Although we are established in the New Testament, symbolizing eighty, our lives still consist of hardship and yearning as we wait for the adoption—the redemption of our bodies, as we are saved in hope (Romans 8:23-25). By this mercy, the psalmist states, "For the Lord disciplines those He loves" (Hebrews 12:6). To the strong, He grants weaknesses to keep them humble, so that His power can be perfected in their frailties (2 Corinthians 12:7,9). Some manuscripts refer to being "taught" rather than "chastened," with both conveying divine grace, as true teaching arises through tribulation; strength is rendered perfect in weakness.

"Who knows the power of Thy anger?" he questions, "Even according to Thy fear, so is Thy wrath bounded?" (Psalm 89:11). This illustrates that few truly comprehend the weight of divine wrath; when God spares, His anger is often more intense against the unrepentant. Therefore, we learn that labor and trials stem not from His wrath but from mercy directed towards those He loves—disciplining them to save them from eternal torment.

"Make Thy right hand known," he supplicates (Psalm 89:12). The majority of Greek manuscripts express it as, "Make known to me Thy right hand." What is God's right hand if not Christ? As the Scripture states, "To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1). May the faithful come to recognize Him, learning to lift their hopes in Christ rather than seeking temporal rewards absent from the promises of Scripture. This acknowledgment quiets the anxious soul, allowing them to trust in Him rather than be tempted by worldly treasures.

Ultimately, God made His Son known through His suffering, to illustrate that true rewards, far greater than those once valued, are found in eternal truths. The right hand of God may also signify His means of separating the righteous from the unrighteous; this becomes evident when He disciplines each son he receives. With His left hand, He chastens to refine, preparing them to rest at His right side and do so in mercy. "Thou shalt make me know Thy right hand," can be interpreted as a call to know either Christ or the divine bliss promised by God.

In Your sight, O Lord, a thousand years are like a single day. This refers to the era of legitimate worship, during which the Israelites flourished after the construction of the Holy Temple. From Solomon, who erected that sacred house, to the siege that occurred following the crucifixion, a full thousand years elapsed. Yet before You, this duration is regarded as just part of a day, or more accurately, as a brief moment in time. He rightly compares the period before the Savior’s arrival to nighttime, for humanity was enveloped in darkness and turmoil because the Sun of righteousness had yet to illuminate their lives.

What is the significance of the psalmist's words? It is important to recognize that the night is segmented into four watches. The Gospel also notes, “But in the fourth watch” (Matthew 14:25). Each watch lasts three hours, leading to a total of four night watches. In military practice, sentinels typically rotate every few hours. Thus, when reflecting on the psalmist's message, we consider the span of human life: Adam, our ancestor, lived for nine hundred and thirty years, and Methuselah for nine hundred and sixty-five years—almost a millennium. Yet, in comparison to Your eternal existence, all that we consider lengthy is truly brief. For what persists without an end? Our thousand years are like a mere day in Your sight. Indeed, I assert it is even less—a single night watch.

The concept expressed in these passages is not presented in a linear fashion; the concluding thoughts are linked to the earlier ones: do not turn away mankind in humility, for a thousand years are as a day in Your sight, O Lord, like yesterday or the watch of the night. In this context, it is stated: and He said to You: turn the hearts of the children of men. The Prophet proclaims that human life is brief and filled with suffering; yet, to You, the Most High and everlasting, even a thousand years are like a single day or, more accurately, a fraction of the night. The Prophet refers to the night watch as a segment of the night, as those assigned to guard would divide it into four parts. Thus, in the fourth watch, the Lord approached the apostles (Matthew 14:25).

This also serves as evidence of God's eternal nature. In Your sight, a thousand years are perceived as fleeting as one day to us, and that day has already gone by. The past day often feels briefer than the present. Furthermore, a thousand years before You is likened to the brief span of a night watch, which You have designated as the time of vigilance. Those who stand guard typically divide the night into four sections, each referred to as a watch. After establishing the comparison between a thousand years and one day, and additionally relating it to a day that has elapsed, the text introduces an even shorter period, namely the fourth watch of the night.

The prophet unmistakably emphasizes the patience of God, which grants humanity the chance to turn back to Him. He regards a thousand years as merely a day that has gone by—not just a day, but rather like a single watch of the night. A day encompasses a significant period, especially since the night is divided into four watches. Thus, God continually exercises His patience throughout a person's lifetime. In His eyes, even a millennium is considered the briefest moment, and importantly, this pertains not to the present but to time that has already elapsed.

In this passage, the author begins by reflecting on the fleeting nature and transience of human existence, expressing sorrow over its hardships not out of a desire to rival God, but to acknowledge His compassion. As scripture reminds us, “For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). He likens our lives to a circle, indicating that God has positioned us on earth and, after a brief journey, lifts us back to Himself at the culmination of our days. He emphasizes this point with the observation that to God, “a thousand years are like a day that has just gone by” (Psalm 90:4).