Ordained

DEVOTION

PSALMS

ORDAINED

Ps 90

90:1 A prayer of Moses the man of God.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3 You turn men back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, O sons of men." 4 For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. 5 You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning — 6 though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered.

7 We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. 8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9 All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. 10 The length of our days is seventy years — or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

11 Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. 12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

13 Relent, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. 16 May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. 17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us — yes, establish the work of our hands.

NIV

At first glance this almost appears as though it is a sad state of affairs. Even with God being our dwelling place, and that he brought forth order from chaos, speaking everything that is into existence, the fact remains, at least in the eyes of Moses, from dust we are made and to dust we will return. There have been some funeral services that phrase has been used. Moses was not aware of the resurrection, in fact the whole of Israel at that time did not, the blessings of God was for the here and now, not the hereafter. This is the idea Moses expresses that in the eternal state of God, our life is but a fleeing moment that in the end of that moment death sweeps us away. Moses compares us to the lifespan of grass. In our youth we spring up all green and fresh but by the evening of our life we are all withered up and dry, how sad, but it does seem to be true. The fact that Moses and the Israelites did not know Jesus, or his work on the cross, they were consumed by the anger of God, afraid of him, not at peace with him, not experiencing his peace, but they were terrified by his indignation. We do not have to be afraid of God.

And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

AMPC: Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

This incorporates the meaning of the word peace. We are at peace with God. Moses and the Israelites feared God and were concerned about their secret sins being revealed in his light. This is a truth in the sense the light of God does shine into the darkness of sin revealing it for what it is. How would we know what sin is unless it was shown to us by the light of God? If there was no light of God, we would not know that we are in sin, or that we ever sin. In the darkness, sin cannot be seen. Again with this quickness of life, seventy, maybe eighty and puff we are gone, finishing with a moan. The last breath of man might be heard as a moan. Again, how sad if that is all there is. We know our last breath will be a glorious one as at the moment we will step into eternity. They may temporarily put our bodies in the ground, however our spirit does not lie there as it transcends the temporal and springs forth into the presence of God until the day he will raise our bodies, restored, glorified from the grave and then we will stand in presence within the new city of God. This is what it is all about. His splendor is revealed in us. His favor does rest upon us, this favor is Jesus, and he dwells in our hearts and minds. We are always aware of his presence in our life. God establishing the work of our hands, he ordains what we are to do in this life. This is not our choice what we do, it is his.