Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us. Proportion our time of joy to our time of sorrow: as the one has lasted many long years, so let the other. And the years wherein we have seen evil; or, "suffered adversity." read more
Make us glad. None can overestimate the blessing that God's gift of gladness is to us. How it sweetens intercourse, encourages work, lightens our burdens, and helps us over many a difficult place! But there are forms of gladness to which no praise can be given. The laughter of fools is like "the crackling of thorns under a pot"—so says Ecclesiastes. And the gladness of evil men over evil has poison in it, notwithstanding all its loudness. And all mere man made gladness is without... read more
Let thy work appear ante thy servants, end thy glory unto their children. The "work" and the "glory" are the same thing—some vast exertion of the Divine power and majesty, which will result in great good to his people. If we accept the Mosaic authorship of the psalm, the establishment of Israel in the laud of Canaan may reasonably be taken as the "work" spoken of. read more
Prayer for Divine revealing of the mystery of life. This prayer, as referable to the Israelites, is a presage of the end of their pilgrimage, of their forgiveness, and of their settlement in Canaan. The issue of present Divine dealings was a glory which could only come to the children of the Mosaic generation. But Moses could properly pray that what God was actually then doing—his work by his disciplinary dispensations—might at once be revealed to his servants. To know what God is... read more
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us (comp. Psalms 45:1-17 :24, "Thou art fairer than the children of men;" Psalms 27:4 , "To behold the beauty of the Lord;" Isaiah 33:17 , "Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty"). The "beauty of God" is upon us when we see and realize the loveliness of his character. And establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. The repetition adds nothing, except it be emphasis. God is asked,... read more
Prayer and work. "And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it." I. THAT GOOD MEN ARE ENGAGED IN IMPORTANT WORK . God has a work to do ; and the psalmist prays that it may be made manifest to their eyes. We desire to see God's work—the revelations and exercises of his great power and love. But the thought here is of our work. 1 . It is divinely appointed. Not... read more
Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us - Let the one correspond with the other. Let our occasions of joy be measured by the sorrows which have come upon us. As our sufferings have been great, so let our joys and triumphs be.And the years wherein we have seen evil - Affliction and sorrow. They have been continued through many wearisome years; so let the years of peace and joy be many also. read more
Let thy work appear unto thy servants - That is, thy gracious work of interposition. Let us see thy power displayed in removing these calamities, and in restoring to us the days of health and prosperity.And thy glory unto their children - The manifestation of thy character; the display of thy goodness, of thy power, and thy grace. Let this spreading and wasting evil be checked and removed, so that our children may live, and may have occasion to celebrate thy goodness, and to record the wonders... read more
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us - The word translated “beauty” - נעם nô‛am - means properly “pleasantness;” then, beauty, splendor; then grace or layout. The Septuagint renders it here, λαμπρότης lamprotēs, “splendor;” and so the Latin Vulgate. The wish is clearly that all that there is, in the divine character, which is “beautiful,” which is suited to win the hearts of people to admiration, gratitude, and love - might be so manifested to them, or that they might so see the... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 90:12-17
From complaint the psalmist, in conclusion, turns to prayer—prayer for his people rather than for himself. His petitions are, read more