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From Everlasting to Everlasting
Psalm 90 is a prayer-song about the great difference between God’s eternal life and human life that passes quickly. It speaks honestly about sin and God’s anger, then asks for wisdom, compassion, joy and help.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
The psalm addresses the Lord directly. It begins by naming him as the dwelling place of his people through all generations and as God from everlasting to everlasting. It then reflects on human brevity, sin and wrath before ending with requests for teaching, mercy, gladness and established work.
Psalms 90:1–17Main takeaway
Because God is eternal and our days are brief, this psalm teaches us to seek wisdom, mercy and the Lord’s favour.
Explore the poem and its images
01The Lord across all generationsThe psalm opens by calling the Lord the dwelling place of his people through all generations.
Explanation
The psalm opens by calling the Lord the dwelling place of his people through all generations. That picture suggests nearness and dependence, though the verse simply states the Lord as their dwelling place. Then the poem reaches before mountains, earth and world, declaring that from everlasting to everlasting, he is God.
02Human life passes quicklyIn contrast, people return to destruction at God’s word. Time does not weigh on God as it does on us, since a thousand years are like yesterday or a watch in the night.
Explanation
In contrast, people return to destruction at God’s word. Time does not weigh on God as it does on us, since a thousand years are like yesterday or a watch in the night. Human life is compared to grass that sprouts in the morning and is withered by evening.
03Sin, wrath and brief yearsThe psalm says people are consumed and troubled in God’s anger and wrath. It explains why by naming iniquities and even secret sins before his presence.
Explanation
The psalm says people are consumed and troubled in God’s anger and wrath. It explains why by naming iniquities and even secret sins before his presence. Our days pass away, our years end like a sigh, and even long life is marked by labour and sorrow. Verse 11 asks who truly understands the power of this anger and the fear due to God.
04A prayer for wisdom and favourThe turning point is a request: teach us to count our days so that we gain a heart of wisdom.
Explanation
The turning point is a request: teach us to count our days so that we gain a heart of wisdom. The speaker asks the Lord to relent, show compassion, satisfy his servants with loving kindness, make them glad after affliction, show his work and glory, and establish the work of their hands.
Questions to explore
01How does the psalm contrast God’s life with human life?
Look at the phrases about God being from everlasting to everlasting and the pictures of grass that grows and dries in a single day.
02What reason does the psalm give for human trouble under God’s wrath?
The answer is stated directly in the lines about iniquities and secret sins set before God.
03What does the speaker ask God to do after asking for wisdom?
Trace the requests in order from 'Relent' to 'Establish the work of our hands'.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Psalms 90:1–17
1Lord, you have been our dwelling place for all generations.
2Before the mountains were born, before you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
3You turn man to destruction, saying, “Return, you children of men.”
4For a thousand years in your sight are just like yesterday when it is past, like a watch in the night.
5You sweep them away as they sleep. In the morning they sprout like new grass.
6In the morning it sprouts and springs up. By evening, it is withered and dry.
7For we are consumed in your anger. We are troubled in your wrath.
8You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9For all our days have passed away in your wrath. We bring our years to an end as a sigh.
10The days of our years are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty years; yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for it passes quickly, and we fly away.
11Who knows the power of your anger, your wrath according to the fear that is due to you?
12So teach us to count our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13Relent, Yahweh! How long? Have compassion on your servants!
14Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen evil.
16Let your work appear to your servants, your glory to their children.
17Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us. Establish the work of our hands for us. Yes, establish the work of our hands.