12 To number our days aright let `us' know, And we bring the heart to wisdom.
redeeming the time, because the days are evil; because of this become not fools, but -- understanding what `is' the will of the Lord,
To cause thine ear to attend to wisdom, Thou inclinest thy heart to understanding, For, if for intelligence thou callest, For understanding givest forth thy voice, If thou dost seek her as silver, And as hid treasures searchest for her, Then understandest thou fear of Jehovah, And knowledge of God thou findest. For Jehovah giveth wisdom, From His mouth knowledge and understanding.
O the happiness of a man `who' hath found wisdom, And of a man `who' bringeth forth understanding. For better `is' her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold -- her increase. Precious she `is' above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her. Length of days `is' in her right hand, In her left `are' wealth and honour. Her ways `are' ways of pleasantness, And all her paths `are' peace. A tree of life she `is' to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her `is' happy.
And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not. O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance. For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah. And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!
For `an object of' desire he who is separated doth seek, With all wisdom he intermeddleth. A fool delighteth not in understanding, But -- in uncovering his heart.
My son! keep my sayings, And my commands lay up with thee. Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye. Bind them on thy fingers, Write them on the tablet of thy heart. Say to wisdom, `My sister Thou `art'.' And cry to understanding, `Kinswoman!'
`Let your loins be girded, and the lamps burning, and ye like to men waiting for their lord, when he shall return out of the wedding feasts, that he having come and knocked, immediately they may open to him. `Happy those servants, whom the lord, having come, shall find watching; verily I say to you, that he will gird himself, and will cause them to recline (at meat), and having come near, will minister to them; and if he may come in the second watch, and in the third watch he may come, and may find `it' so, happy are those servants. `And this know, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief doth come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through; and ye, then, become ye ready, because at the hour ye think not, the Son of Man doth come.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 90
Commentary on Psalms 90 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 90
Ps 90:1-17. Contrasting man's frailty with God's eternity, the writer mourns over it as the punishment of sin, and prays for a return of the divine favor. A Prayer [mainly such] of Moses the man of God—(De 33:1; Jos 14:6); as such he wrote this (see on Ps 18:1, title, and Ps 36:1, title).
1. dwelling-place—home (compare Eze 11:16), as a refuge (De 33:27).
2. brought forth [and] formed—both express the idea of production by birth.
3. to destruction—literally, "even to dust" (Ge 3:19), which is partly quoted in the last clause.
4. Even were our days now a thousand years, as Adam's, our life would be but a moment in God's sight (2Pe 3:8).
a watch—or, third part of a night (compare Ex 14:24).
5, 6. Life is like grass, which, though changing under the influence of the night's dew, and flourishing in the morning, is soon cut down and withereth (Ps 103:15; 1Pe 1:24).
7, 8. For—A reason, this is the infliction of God's wrath.
troubled—literally, "confounded by terror" (Ps 2:5). Death is by sin (Ro 5:12). Though "secret," the light of God's countenance, as a candle, will bring sin to view (Pr 20:27; 1Co 4:5).
9. are passed—literally, "turn," as to depart (Jer 6:4).
spend—literally, "consume."
as a tale—literally, "a thought," or, "a sigh" (Eze 2:10).
10. Moses' life was an exception (De 34:7).
it is … cut off—or, "driven," as is said of the quails in using the same word (Nu 11:31). In view of this certain and speedy end, life is full of sorrow.
11. The whole verse may be read as a question implying the negative, "No one knows what Thy anger can do, and what Thy wrath is, estimated by a true piety."
12. This he prays we may know or understand, so as properly to number or appreciate the shortness of our days, that we may be wise.
13. (Compare Ps 13:2).
let it repent—a strong figure, as in Ex 32:12, imploring a change in His dealings.
14. early—promptly.
15. As have been our sorrows, so let our joys be great and long.
16. thy work—or, providential acts.
thy glory—(Ps 8:5; 45:3), the honor accruing from Thy work of mercy to us.
17. let the beauty—or sum of His gracious acts, in their harmony, be illustrated in us, and favor our enterprise.