Psalm 90: A Statement of the Great Turning Point in Human Life

Yver Kaikins

In Psalm 90, Moses pointedly conveys the worries and anxieties of man over the troubles of life.  He further emphasizes the common desires and wish fulfillment of mankind toward God.  The Psalm itself is an outcry in the face of the mutability and mortality of life.  In the bitter and disappointed life, one ought to, as early as possible, recognize the Lord whom we should fear and whose love and mercy we should enjoy.  In knowing and believing the Lord, one's life could be turned into a happy one.  Psalm 90 is not only Moses' own prayer.  It is representative of the hopes of everyone in this world.  Like the Lord's prayer in the New Testament, this prayer of Moses stands out as a literary masterpiece with the theme of man's strife for spiritual fulfillment in God.

The first two verses in this chapter state how God has existed as "I am that I am" even before the creation.  From verse 3 to verse 11, it touches upon how human destiny is in the hands of God, and how one can escape from the finality of death and judgement.

Indeed, human life is transient, toilsome, sorrowful, and empty.  But is it that we are all hopeless?  Even though oftentimes it seems that we have reached the end where darkness prevails, God provides us always with hope and consolation.  Verse 12 indicates that we may enter into the gate of wisdom.  There is amidst the vicissitudes of our life a turning point.  What prompted the prodigal son to return to his father was precisely because he had had a moment of "shock of recognition" (Lk 15:17).  He came to realize that his merciful father had loved him and had been waiting for him to come home.  Analogously, if we gain wisdom, we will surely know God and return to Him without hesitation (Prov 8:9).  This sort of wisdom is an asset unique to man.  But how can we acquire wisdom?  It is through the instruction and revelation from God.

The most concrete revelation is expressed in the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ.  No one has ever seen God, but Jesus has made Him known (Jn 1: 18).  He has come and has given us wisdom so that we may know Him (I Jn 5:20).  For this reason, it is through the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ that we have the wisdom to access the gateway of salvation.

A life devoid of wisdom is no more than an illusion.  It is also a delusion, knowing nothing about afterlife.  A person without wisdom is incapable of understanding the wretchedness of sins and the horror of God's wrath.  Pitifully, his life is spent in vain, heading toward eternal condemnation.

The wisdom given by God teaches us to number our days.  Moses has pointed out the average span of a human life.  "Seventy years in the span of our life if our strength holds." People usually regard 70 or 80 years of age a longevity, but can we, as Homo sapiens, be easily satisfied with the limited number of years?  We could have had eternal life at first, but unfortunately, the Paradise was lost because of sin.  Regaining the Paradise has thus become a universal human aspiration.  Many religious beliefs harbor the desire for immortality.  Even the ancient kings and rulers tried hard to seek for the "fountain of youth." They failed without exception in their respective pursuit.  The reason is clear: as human beings, we are unable to gain eternal life through our own means and ways.  We must rely on the Creator and Savior for deliverance.  In Moses' view, man can never exist apart from God.  His life, long or short, happy or bitter, is beyond his control.  "Thou dost sweep men away; they are like a dream, like grass which is renewed in the morning; in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.  For we are consumed by thy anger; by thy wrath we are overwhelmed" (Ps 90:5-7).

One might ask, "Isn't that all our life is swayed and controlled by God?  Why is this so?" Moses has pointed out for us that our iniquities are laid bare before God.  Our lusts are exposed in the full light of His presence and that all our clays go by under the shadow of His wrath.

Men's iniquities and all the hidden sins can never go unnoticed by this Almighty God.  So if one does not resolve his sins, his destiny can never turn out for the better.  His entire life will constantly be under the wrath of God, as hopeless as a sigh.  Nevertheless, man is often not aware of the potential danger of his own sins.  He lives in sins, just as birds are caught in snares, not knowing his imminent death.  For this reason, what is needed at this crucial moment is the "shock of recognition," the ensuing repentance, and the turning to God for salvation.  Since a man with wisdom knows how to number his days, he must grasp the mercy and salvation of God before everything turns to vanity.

From verse 12 and what follows, the poet demonstrates how the desires for a change of life take effect.  With verse 12 as a pivotal verse, this chapter is divided into two sections.  In contrast with the depressing mood detectable in the first part (verses 3-11), what is clearly noticeable in the second section is the change from the wrath to the love of God (V. 14), from labors and sorrows to joy (V 10, 14), from vanity to establishment (V. 17), and from our iniquities to delightful things that God wants to give us (V. 17).  Isn't this a great turning point in our life?

Moses' prayer to God sufficiently reflects our spiritual need.  It also reveals to us the great hope for humankind.  We must believe, obey, and trust Jesus Christ for the sake of eternal salvation.  "Relent, and take pity on thy servant" is a remark which unfailingly reminds us of Jesus' plea on the cross for our sins.  Are we not urgently in need of Jesus' salvation?

Friends, are you aware of how transient human life is and how horrible God's judgment for the sinners will be?  You are cordially invited to come and enjoy the mercy and love of God.  Be sure to believe, repent, be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and receive the precious Holy Spirit as the guarantee for the heavenly inheritance (Acts 2:38; Eph 1: 13, 14- Tit 3:5; Jn 3-5).  By doing so, you will be able to taste the wondrous love of Jesus and render meaning to your life.