At BBC we continue our study through Exodus and were reminded again by the preached Word of God that the Lord is mighty in power and merciful in His provision of deliverance. Though God’s Holy judgement is certain, He has made provision through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. All those who repent of their sin and place their faith Jesus, trusting in His finished work, will be saved. Moses saw many things throughout his life. He trusted in God’s promises and was an instrument for Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. Think of the mighty acts he witnessed. God’s power was displayed in Moses’ sight through the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, the provision of manna and the cloud and the pillar of fire. Psalm 90 is unique, as it is the only Psalm attributed to Moses as its author. It offers great insight into a heart that is weary yet trusting of God. Most likely, Moses wrote this Psalm during Israel’s forty years of the wilderness wandering.
Moses is in the desert, and he looks around to see death and human frailty. This drives him to view the frailty of life in light of the everlasting. He knew his home was with the everlasting God. He saw the truth that is never failing – God alone is unchanging:
“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.”
Think of the landscapes and circumstances of change in Moses’ life. He was raised in Pharaoh’s palace, driven out of the palace to become a shepherd in a field, back to Egypt to make his home with his people as slaves, then wandering in the wilderness after the deliverance from Egypt. Changing environments and the circumstances of this life are a daily battle. Moses reminds us to cast our eyes beyond the temporal and recognize the eternal promise of God’s everlasting presence with His people.
Mercy, Joy and Everlasting Purpose
Psalm 90 shows us cries of mercy, joy and everlasting purpose. Let’s look at verses 13-17.
(vv 13) “Return, O Lord! How long?” – God in his righteous anger has turned away, and Moses pleads with the Lord for mercy. We see another example of this in Exodus chapters 32-34, as Moses will plea for mercy after Israel creates and worships the golden calf. Moses knows that Israel is not worthy, yet he appeals to God’s steadfast love.
(vv 14) “Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love” – Moses recognizes that the only permanent and lasting joy is from God. Just as God provided manna in the wilderness each new morning, God’s mercies are new each morning. (Lam. 3:22-23) This is a strong reminder not to start our day with worry, anxiety, thoughts of despair and defeat, but to begin each day in adoration for the God who created us and provided redemption.
(vv. 15) “Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us” – We are reminded again that we do not deny sorrow, but we pray for redemption in the trials. Our prayer should be that God would bring faith, lessons of sanctification and joy out of circumstances that seem impossible and difficult. Each affliction becomes a testimony to point to the faithfulness of the Lord. (Romans 8:28)
(vv 16) “Let Your work be shown to your servants, and Your glorious power to their children.” – Moses shares his pastoral heart, which is longing for the next generation to know the Lord and His mighty deeds. Moses’ prayer is not just seeking relief, He is seeking a renewal of God’s work amongst the people. May this be our prayer today, that the faithfulness of God will be seen throughout each generation at Bethlehem, our community, state, nation and the world. May we carry this word to our sons and daughters so they know His faithfulness and power to save.
(vv. 17) “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands” Life is but a vapor according to James, and though short, we do not live in vain. Obedience to the Lord and service to Him is not in vain. Moses word “establish” is to continue to make firm or endure. What a reminder that through all the changes and rulers rising and falling that Moses saw, His prayer was that God’s favor would be with His people, and the work done in service to the Lord would have an eternal weight.
The impactful prayer of Psalm 90 turns from recognition man’s mortality, to really a song of favor for the mission. This is an encouraging reminder that even though our “days be few and full of trouble,” they are full of eternal impacts and divine appointments for the glory of God and blessed by His favor.
Romans 8, the Psalm 90 Parallel
Seeing Romans 8 in light of Moses prayer is such an encouragement for the disciple of Jesus. This is the answer for Moses’ prayer of mercy, joy and everlasting establishment of God’s favor on us. The answer is found in one name. Jesus.
Where wrath and anger are clear in Psalm 90: 7-11, Roman’s 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Where we see frailty and eternity in Psalm 90, we see hope born because the Holy Spirit brings life through Christ’s righteousness: “Though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”
Where Psalm 90:14 is a longing for satisfaction in the Lord, Romans 8:18-23 reminds the believer that “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” All of creation is groaning and is waiting for the “morning” when all things will be made new. Our “waiting” is really an expectancy of eternal joy and peace with our Savior.
Psalm 90:17 is a plea for the Lord’s favor on His people and that their work would be established by God. Romans 8:28-30 answers this prayer. Take heart and be encouraged by this answered prayer of Moses through the person of Jesus Christ:
“Those whom He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.”
God in his grace established the work of His hands through the redeemer, and WE – those how are covered by the blood of Jesus are His work (Eph 2:10).(See Pastor Zad’s message from Exodus 12 for the truth of being saved by Jesus’ blood.)
Closing Thoughts
The disciple’s desire will be the Lord supremely when we see life rightly.
- May we begin each day as a “morning of mercy”
- Shift our thinking in affliction to anticipation for God to make us glad in Him. (2 Cor 4:17)
- Work for what will last. Each hour committed to the Lord is the work of His hands. Know your time invested in teaching, serving, working, witnessing or parenting is a mission committed to the Lord.
- Pass on the Promises of God. Lead and point your family to know our legacy does not come from what we accomplish, but in our faithfulness to the Lord.
- REST and ENJOY God and His eternal promises. Our security is not in our material things, security or status – our security is found in belonging to the eternal God.
In closing, may we pray the prayer from Psalm 90:12:
“Teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom.”