From Everlasting to Everlasting

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

¹ Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations.
² Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

³ You return man to dust
and say, “Return, O children of man!”
⁴ For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night.

⁵ You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
⁶ in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.

⁷ For we are brought to an end by your anger;
by your wrath we are dismayed.
⁸ You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.

⁹ For all our days pass away under your wrath;
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
¹⁰ The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
¹¹ Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?

¹² So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
¹³ Return, O Lord! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
¹⁵ Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
¹⁶ Let your work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
¹⁷ Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!

 

Reflection

• Death is not a popular subject. We live in a society characterized by the denial of death. However, most people who have lived on this earth have given a great deal of attention to death. Preparing for a good death has been, in centuries past, an accepted goal in life. Psalm 90 has been part of that preparation for millions of Christians.
• Death sets a limit to our lives and stimulates reflection on the context of life, which is not death, but God. Acknowledge our weakness and frailty is a step toward wisdom (v12).
• Read meditatively verses 14-17. What emerges as most important for you—what you do for the rest of your life or what God will do in your life?
• When you think about your own death, what do you think about? What do you feel? How long do you expect to live? How do you plan to live the years left to you?
• Express your awareness that you will die. In your prayers be conscious of Christ’s death.

 

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the “Spiritual Journal” book.