Psalm 90:1-2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 90:1-6

This psalm is entitled a prayer of Moses. Where, and in what volume, it was preserved from Moses's time till the collection of psalms was begun to be made, is uncertain; but, being divinely inspired, it was under a special protection: perhaps it was written in the book of Jasher, or the book of the wars of the Lord. Moses taught the people of Israel to pray, and put words into their mouths which they might make use of in turning to the Lord. Moses is here called the man of God, because he was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 90:1

Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations ,.... Even when they had no certain dwelling place in the world; so their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, dwelt in tabernacles in the land of promise, as in a strange land; and their posterity for many years served under great affliction and oppression in a land that was not theirs; and now they were dwelling in tents in the wilderness, and removing from place to place; but as the Lord had been in every age, so he now was the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 90:2

Before the mountains were brought forth ,.... Or "were born" F2 ילדו "nascerentur", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Michaelis; so Ainsworth; "geniti essent", Piscator, Gejerus. , and came forth out of the womb and bowels of the earth, and were made to rise and stand up at the command of God, as they did when he first created the earth; and are mentioned not only because of their firmness and stability, but their antiquity: hence we read of the ancient mountains and everlasting... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 90:1

Lord, thou hast been our dwellingplace - מעון maon ; but instead of this several MSS. have מעוז maoz , "place of defense," or "refuge," which is the reading of the Vulgate, Septuagint, Arabic, and Anglo-Saxon. Ever since thy covenant with Abraham thou hast been the Resting-place, Refuge, and Defence of thy people Israel. Thy mercy has been lengthened out from generation to generation. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 90:2

Before the mountains were brought forth - The mountains and hills appear to have been everlasting; but as they were brought forth out of the womb of eternity, there was a time when they were not: but Thou hast been ab aeternitate a parte ante, ad aeternitatem a parte post; fram the eternity that is past, before time began; to the eternity that is after, when time shall have an end. This is the highest description of the eternity of God to which human language can reach. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 90:1

Verse 1 1O Lord! thou hast been our dwelling-place. In separating the seed of Abraham by special privilege from the rest of the human family, the Psalmist magnifies the grace of adoption, by which God had embraced them as his children. The object which he has in view in this exordium is, that God would now renew the grace which he had displayed in old time towards the holy patriarchs, and continue it towards their offspring. Some commentators think that he alludes to the tabernacle, because in... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 90:2

Verse 2 2Before the mountains were brought forth. Moses designs to set forth some high and hidden mystery, and yet he seems to speak feebly, and, as it were, in a puerile manner. For who does not know that God existed before the world? This we grant is a truth which all men admit; but we will scarcely find one in a hundred who is thoroughly persuaded that God remains unchangeably the same. God is here contrasted with created beings, who, as all know, are subject to continual changes, so that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 90:1

Lord, thou hast been our Dwelling place in all generations; or, "our habitation" (see Psalms 91:9 ); comp. Psalms 32:7 , "Thou art my Hiding place." For well nigh forty years Moses had had no fixed material dwelling place. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 90:1

The glorious habitation. It has been remarked that we have Moses presented to us in three aspects—as poet (see his song at the Red Sea); as preacher (see Deuteronomy and elsewhere); and as a man of prayer (see the closing verses of this psalm). These three characters are not often combined, but when they are they make the subject of them very powerful with God for man, and with man for God. And the secret of his eminence in each character was that his spirit's home was in God. Note— I. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 90:1

God a Dwelling place. God our Home; the soul's Home. There seem to be no sufficient reasons for rejecting the Mosaic authorship of this psalm; but this much appears to be certain—the associations of the time of Moses form the machinery of the psalm; and there are no other associations which fit to it so well. During the last forty years of his life, and during the long years of the desert wanderings for Israel, the people had no home, no resting place; they were constantly moving to and... read more

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