This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of
Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just
mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
PSALM
CHAPTER 90
1 A Prayer of Moses the man of God.
LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
What a song! This song of Moses is the oldest psalm of which there is record.
God is the "dwelling place" for all mankind (verse 1). God is eternal (verse 2). Out of His eternal existence, God has formed man "out of the dust of the ground" (Genesis 2:7). All mankind owes their existence to God.
But because of man's sin, God has decreed that man must die (verse 3)(see also Genesis 3:19). From this statement we understand that SIN is destruction. It is sin that separates man from God.
God created man to exist eternally with God, and He exists eternally in holiness and righteousness. But God also gave man free will. And when man chose to sin, God had no choice but to "turn man to destruction," for God cannot dwell with UNholiness and UNrighteousness.
But the GOOD NEWS is that God STILL wants to dwell with man! And He calls to mankind saying, "Return, ye children of men." If man will REPENT and RETURN to God, He Who kills can also make alive! (See Deuteronomy 32:39) God has the power to make the UNrighteous righteous again! God has the power to make the UNholy holy again! And God DESIRES to use that power for man's benefit! (Romans 5:8)
And there is even MORE GOOD NEWS! God is ETERNAL, and He waits patiently for men to turn to Him (verse 4). God Himself set a date for time to begin, and God has a date set for time to end. All time, which exists because of God's grace, is only as ONE DAY to Him Who created it! And while time exists, God is CALLING to man to RETURN to the proper "dwelling place" which is in God Himself.
What a GRACIOUS and LOVING God we have!
5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
Sin causes man to be carried away from God "as with a flood," and our existence is only considered as short as the existence of grass (Isaiah 40:6).
The wrath of God is against sinners everyday (Psalm 7:11). Every sin is in the sight of God, for nothing escapes His sight (verses 7-8).
Our whole life appears before God as only a short "tale that is told" (verse 9).
10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
God has granted us an average of 70 years for fleshly existence. Some live more (like Adam, Moses, etc.), and some live less. But both the gift of life and the numbering of our days is from God. Man does NOT KNOW the extent of his years!
Even if by strength we attain a greater number of years, our life in the flesh is still SHORT!
And when our fleshly existence is ended we "fly away." We go to meet God in judgment!
Since God created man to exist eternally, the destruction of sin is ETERNAL to man's soul! The power of God is enough to send man to an ETERNAL destruction under the mighty "wrath" of God Himself!
Therefore, man is in NEED of God to "teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom." Wisdom is RETURNING to God in REPENTANCE, and allowing Him to use His power to restore us to righteousness.
God has paid the price at Calvary for man's sin. And He is quite willing to apply that price to any man's soul. But we must come and beg His forgiveness, and plead with Him to RESTORE us to His righteousness.
13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
How long will God allow the iniquities of man? How long will God patiently endure mankind's sin and patiently call for our repentance? No one knows but God Himself.
Therefore, it should be the cry of all mankind to plead with God for forgiveness and restoration. This will "satisfy" man in his daily life (verse 14). God's revealed mercy is enough to satisfy us even though we are afflicted daily with sin and evil. Knowing God has granted mercy for the eternal destruction of sin, makes life worth living again! The joy of God's forgiveness brings "glory" to His children (verse 16).
The "beauty of the LORD" is upon those who repent and are saved! That "beauty" is shown in the face of God's redeemed! It is the beauty of KNOWING that when my flesh dies, my soul shall return to God with a judgment of "NOT GUILTY!"
And then, PRAISE GOD FOR HIS MERCY, I shall have God for a "dwelling place" for eternity! Please continue in Bible Study with us.
>"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" (Hebrews 9:27)
As Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 12:6-7,
"Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."
11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.