Blog Post One

Psalm 90:1 “Lord, you have been our refuge in every generation. Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, you are God.”

Psalm 90 is a prayer of Moses, the man of God. Moses opens his prayer by outlining the eternal nature of God (v1-2) and then comparing it to the brevity of mankind’s life (v3-6). Not only is man’s life brief, however, it is also lived out under the wrath of God and therefore is often one of struggle and sorrow (v7-10). This picture of life in this world and under God may seem disheartening yet it leads Moses to making three requests of the LORD.

Firstly, he prays that the Lord may teach his people to remember that their days are numbered in order that they may develop wisdom (v12). Knowing and consciously calling to mind our own mortality enables us to make better decisions throughout this life. Only a fool would begin a journey without the end in mind, for knowing where the journey ends determines how one prepares for the journey.  Hence, Moses’ concern that the Lord teaches his people to remember the mortal nature of their existence so that they may grow a heart of wisdom.

 Secondly, Moses calls on the Lord to show compassion on his people knowing that they have suffered for “many days” (v13-15). This request is not based upon a sense of justice, nor because the people’s suffering had been unjust (it hadn’t been). Rather, Moses bases his request simply upon the Lord’s compassionate nature (v13). The people may not deserve to be shown compassion but nevertheless the Lord may show it and so Moses prays.

Finally, Moses asks the Lord to favour them so that the work of their hands would be established (v17). Each generation may only be given a brief time in this world, but if the Lord favours them, their work and therefore their legacy will remain long after they have departed to the glory of God.

These three petitions of Moses are requests that God’s people may well pray with confidence today. For our eternal God is a refuge in every generation and does not change (v1; Mal 3:6). If the Lord Jesus does not return in our generation, may we at TBC leave this world having prayed for this reality throughout our lives for the glory of God and the blessing of his people. Amen. 

 By Rev. Dave Martin