Psalms on Saturday ~ Psalm 90

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Psalm 90 is written for those who have made a big mistake, perhaps the worst decision of their lives. How do they go forward? Is there a future?

For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence (vv. 7-8, ESV).

Moses wrote Psalm 90 after the Israelites had refused to enter the Promised Land; they allowed fear, not faith, to guide their decisions. We all make mistakes with our promises not kept, associating with the wrong people, quitting a job in anger, yielding to sin, being entrapped in habits, and actions taken from lust or pride.

Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom (vv. 11-12).

We all stumble, but the Israelites not entering the Promised Land, especially after witnessing God’s miracles coming out of Egypt, stands as one of the great failures in the Bible. What is your great failure? How did you respond? Do we get a second chance?

Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days (vv. 13-14).

God always plays the long game, while we stutter and stumble with the few years given to us. Realize that God has eternity to work our mistakes into a woven web of our praise to Him for eternity.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God (vv. 1-2).

God wasn’t finished with Israel after the Promised Land debacle, and He’s not finished with us either, no matter how we’re entangled. The Lord of eternity always takes our fumbles and turns our humility or humiliation into lessons learned by which we will serve Him for all time.

You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night (vv. 3-4).

Let’s keep walking toward eternity, whether ambushed by enemies or blistered by our lusts, as God’s plans for us will not be thwarted. His ways are higher than ours, which means we trust and always have hope.

You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers (vv. 5-6).

The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away (vv. 10-11).

Psalm 90 is the “Great Failure” psalm.

Read other psalms for minor problems, but when you blow it big time, remember Psalm 90. After gambling away your house, getting snowballed by pornography, or kicking your wife’s cat — remember the God of grace who works all things for the good, even for those who lost an earthly Promised Land, but still found reason to praise God.

Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children (vv. 15-16).

Amen! Peace out.