Psalm 90

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:1

(1) Dwelling place.—LXX. and Vulg., “refuse,” possibly reading maôz (as in Psalms 37:39) instead of maôn. So some MSS. But Deuteronomy 33:17 has the feminine of this latter word, and the idea of a continued abode strikes the key-note of the psalm. The short duration of each succeeding generation of men on the earth is contrasted with the eternity of God and the permanence given to Israel as a race by the covenant that united them with the Eternal. But we may give extension to the thought. Human... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:2

(2) Before the mountains.—Render either,“Before the mountains were born,Or ever the earth and world were brought forth,”in synonymous parallelism, or, better, in progressive,“Before the mountains were born,Or ever the earth and world brought forth”—i.e., before vegetation or life appeared. (Comp. Job 15:7.) “Mountains” are a frequent symbol of antiquity, as well as of enduring strength. (See Genesis 49:26; Proverbs 8:25.) The expression, “earth and the world,” may be taken as meaning the earth,... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:3

(3) Thou turnest . . .—Probably we must render, Thou turnest man to dust; and sayest, Turn, sons of Adam—i.e., one generation dies and another succeeds (see Psalms 104:29-30), the continuance of the race being regarded as distinctly due to Divine power as the Creation, to which there is probably allusion.The LXX. suggest as the true reading, “Turn not man to dust, but say rather,” &c. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:4

(4) A thousand years.—This verse, which, when Peter II. was written (see New Testament Commentary), had already begun to receive an arithmetical treatment, and to be made the basis for Millennarian computations, merely contrasts the unchangeableness and eternity of the Divine existence and purpose with the vicissitudes incident to the brief life of man. To One who is from the infinite past to the infinite future, and Whose purpose runs through the ages, a thousand years are no more than a... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:5-6

(5, 6) The following is suggested as the most satisfactory rendering of these verses: Time (literally, a year; but the root-idea is the repetition or change of the seasons) carries them away with its flood; they are in the morning like grass sprouting; in the morning it flourishes and sprouts, in the evening it is cut down and withered.This is obtained by taking the verb as third feminine instead of second masculine, and slightly changing the vowels of the noun rendered in Authorised Version... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:7

(7) We.—The change to the first person plural shows that the poet was not merely moralising on the brevity of human life, but uttering a dirge over the departed glory of Israel. Instead of proving superior to vicissitude the covenant race had shared it.Troubled.—Comp. Psalms 48:6. Better here, frightened away. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:8

(8) Our secret sins.—Or, to keep the singular of the original, our secret (character).The expression, “light of God’s countenance,” usually means “favour.” But here the word rendered light is not the usual one employed in that expression, but rather means a body of light: “the sun (or eye) of Thy countenance.” Comp.:“Then Seeva opened on the accursed oneHis eye of anger.”SOUTHEY: Curse of Kehama, read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:9

(9) Are passed away.—Better, are declining.A tale.—Rather, a murmur. (See Note, Psalms 1:2.) Probably, from the parallelism with wrath, a moan of sadness. So in Ezekiel 2:10, “a sound of woe.” Since the cognate verb often means “meditate,” some render here thought. Theognis says,“Gallant youth speeds by like a thought.” read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:10

(10) Yet is their strength . . .—The LXX. (and so Vulg.) appear to have had a slightly different reading, which gives much better sense: “Yet their additional years are but labour and sorrow.” The old man has no reason to congratulate himself on passing the ordinary limit, of life.For it is soon cut off.—This seems hardly to give, as it professes to do, a reason for the fact that the prolongation of life beyond its ordinary limit brings trouble and sorrow, and we are compelled to see if the... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:11

(11) Who knoweth . . .—Better,Who regardeth Thine angerAnd—in a measure due to reverence—Thy wrath?Who (no doubt with thought of Israel’s enemies) has that just terror of Thy wrath which a truly reverential regard would produce? It is only the persons who have that fearful and bowed apprehension of His Majesty, and that sacred dread of all offence to Him, which is called the “fear of God.” And this is not inconsistent with a child-like trust and love, and a peaceful security (“Of whom, then,... read more

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:1

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:2

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:3

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:4

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:5-6

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:7

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:8

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:9

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:10

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 90:11

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