🎉 Surprise! A psalm!
Though some scholars debate whether or not Moses actually wrote Psalm 90 – and then they debate who did write it and when – the title attributes it to Moses. Among those who accept the title as authoritative, there seems to be general agreement going back at least to Matthew Henry (1662-1714), that the events of Numbers 14 were the context of Psalm 90. And, if Moses is indeed the author, that makes Psalm 90 the oldest psalm in the collection.
Literary Lacy butting in with a pet peeve: It’s “psalm” – singular – not “psalms” – plural – when referring to one individual psalm. We do not say, “Let’s read Psalms 90.” That’s like saying “I ate one cupcakes.” “I ranked in first places.” Or – “I’m playing songs number 7 on the jukebox.” Please… just don’t. Do you have any idea how exhausting it is for me to NOT correct you out of politeness? And my tongue is sore from being bitten so much. Please help a gal out.
Same for the book of Revelation. Singular. There’s only going to be ONE Revelation of Jesus Christ. Not two. Not eight. Not forty. One. So it’s SINGULAR. ALWAYS. There is no such thing as “the Book of Revelations” or “Revelations chapter 20.” Does. Not. Exist.
We use capital P Psalms when referring to the Biblical book or a specified set of psalms like “Psalms 8, 15, and 42.” But if we’re just talking about several unspecified psalms we do not capitalize. Like: “David wrote most of the psalms.”
If we write about Psalm 23 or “The Twenty-third Psalm,” we capitalize because we’re naming a specific psalm. But if I say, “I think that’s in a psalm somewhere” – and it’s not specific, we do not capitalize.
It’s not random.
Oh- and “Psalmist” is a term referring to the writer of a psalm.
Now back the Psalmist Moses.
Literary Lacy, over and out. 📻
Psalm 90 is a set of contrasts.
God’s eternal permanence and moral perfection are set opposite humanity’s brief and flawed life on earth.
Yahweh has made it clear that the entire adult population who He delivered out of Egypt – for the purpose of returning to the land given to Father Abraham – they’re ALL going to live out their golden years wandering in a desert subsisting on manna. No land of milk and honey.
Let the tragedy of that sink in for a moment.
The fighting force of numbered men were aged 20 and up. Most of them were more likely to be around 25-45ish. Add 40 years to that. In light of that math, consider this:
“As for the days of our years, within them are seventy years or if by strength eighty years, and their pride is trouble and disaster, for it passes quickly and we fly away.”
Psalms 90:10 LEB
This verse is probably less about average human lifespans and more about how old the complainers will be when they die. God has given them only 40 years and they’ll all be dead. Except for Joshua and Caleb and the next generation.
The context of Number 14 is important here. Verse 10 is used by some scholars to “prove” that this psalm couldn’t have been written by Moses because he’s already over 80 years old at this point and will live to be 120. But again, I don’t think general information about human lifespans is what this verse is talking about. And in that case, this section takes on a new angle:
“So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Return, O Yahweh. How long? And have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your loyal love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen calamity.” Psalms 90:12-15 LEB
Their days are numbered. It’s honestly kinda like being on death row for them. Every day they live is one less grain of sand in a 40-year hourglass.
Question: How many days had the Lord said He would “afflict” them? Or we could put it: How many years were they to “see calamity?”
Question: If they’re all going to die within the next 40 years, how can Moses pray, “Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen calamity.”?? What is being implied?
There may be a clue in the last 3 words of verse 10.
There is a glimmer of hope for a life of gladness beyond this mortal existence. After 70 or 80, or – like Moses – 120, that’s not it. We fly away.
“Some glad morning when this life is over…”
To The Reader 