Psalms 90

Psalms 90:1

Title. A prayer of Moses] Or, a prayer, being a psalm of Moses.

the man of God] Deuteronomy 33:1. Thus the Scripture useth to call the prophets.

THou hast been our dwelling-place] Thou hast been as an house and defence unto us in all our troubles and travells now these four hundred yeer.

in all generations] Heb. in generation and generation.

Psalms 90:2

from everlasting to everlasting] Or, from eternity to eternity.

Psalms 90:3

Thou turnest man to destruction] Moses, by lamenting the frailty and shortnesse of mans life, moveth God to pitie.

Return, ye children of men] To your originall, Genesis 3:19. Ecclesiastes 12:7. or, by way of ironie, Live again if you can.

Psalms 90:4

For a thousand yeers in thy sight are but as yesterday] 2 Peter 3:8. Though man think his life long, which is indeed most short, yea, though it were a thousand yeers, yet in Gods sight it is as nothing, psal. 39. 5. and as the watch, that lasteth but three hours, Mark 13:35.

when it is past] Or, when he hath passed them. He addeth this, because men think of the shortnesse of their time when it is past, rather then when it is passing.

Psalms 90:5

as with a flood] Besides the generall necessity of dying, thou sendest floods of particular judgements that suddenly take men away. So it was with the Israelites in the wildernesse, v. 7, &c. Isai. 8. 7, 8. Or, as a flood that goes swiftly away, and returns not again.

grasse which groweth up] Psalms 103:15. Isaiah 40:6.

groweth up] Or, is changed.

Psalms 90:7

For we are consumed by thine anger] Thou callest us by thy rods to consider the shortnesse of our lives, and for our sins thou abridgest our days.

Psalms 90:8

Thou hast set our iniquities before thee] As a judge that goes according to evidence, psal. 50. 21.

our secret sins in the light of thy countenance] Not known to our selves: or, sins of our youth.

Psalms 90:9

passed away] Heb. turned away.

we spend our yeers as a tale that is told] Our days are not onely miserable, but also short; for our sins provoke thee to cut us off.

as a tale that is told] Or, as a meditation.

Psalms 90:10

The days of our yeers are threescore yeers and ten] Heb. As for the days of our yeers, in them are seventy yeers. Meaning, according to the common state of life.

and if by reason of strength they be fourscore yeers, yet is their strength labour] Or, or by reason of strength fourscore; but the pride (or the prime) of them is but labour.

if by reason of strength they be fourscore yeers] Heb. strengths: that is, extraordinary strength.

yet is their strength labour and sorrow] Heb. pride: that is, their strength, pleasure, beauty, or whatsoever men are proud of in the best of their days. Or, the prime of their days.

we flee away] Flee away speedily, like a bird.

Psalms 90:11

Who knoweth the power of thine anger?] If a mans life for brevity be miserable, much more if thy wrath lie upon it, as they which fear thee onely know: others consider it not.

even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath] Or, of thy wrath, so as to fear thee?

Psalms 90:12

number our days] Psalms 39:4.

that we may apply our hearts unto wisedom] Which is, by considering the shortnesse of our life, and by meditating of the joys of heaven.

apply our hearts] Heb. cause to come.

Psalms 90:13

Return, O Lord, how long?] How long wilt thou be angry with thy people?

let it repent thee concerning thy servants] Cease to afflict us, as a man repenting altars his course, Deuteronomy 32:36.

Psalms 90:15

wherein thou hast afflicted us] In Egypt, and in the wildernesse.

seen] Or, felt, psal. 89. 48.

Psalms 90:16

Let thy work appear unto thy servants] Thy mercy, which is thy chiefest work.

and thy glory unto their children] Seeing Gods promises appertained as well to their posterity as to them, Moses prayeth for their children.

Psalms 90:17

let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us] Meaning, that it was obscured, when he ceased to do good to his Church.