Ps. 90:0 Who, considering that terrible but righteous sentence of God concerning the cutting off all that sinful generation in the wilderness, of which see Num.

Although we and our fathers, for some generations, have had no certain and fixed habitation, but have been strangers in a land that was not ours, and afflicted for four hundred years, according to thy prediction, Gen.

The mountains; which he mentions as the most fixed and stable part of the earth. Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, i.e. from eternity; which is frequently described in this manner, as Prov. 8:25–26, John 17:24, Eph.

But as for man, his case is far otherwise, his time is short; and though he was made by thee a happy creature, and should have been immortal, yet upon and for his sin thou didst make him mortal and miserable. Sayest, or, didst say, i.e.

A thousand years, if we should now live so long, as some of our progenitors well nigh did. As he compared man’s duration with God’s in respect of its beginning, Ps. 90:2, so here he compareth them in respect of the end or continuance.

Them, i.e. mankind, of whom he spake, Ps. 90:8. As with a flood; unexpectedly, violently and irresistibly, universally, without exception or distinction. As a sleep; short and vain, as sleep is, and not minded till it be past.

The whole space of man’s life is compared to one day, and his prosperity is confined to a part of that day, and ended in the close of it.

We; either, 1. We men; or rather, 2. We Israelites in this wilderness. Consumed; either naturally, by the frame of our bodies; or violently, by extraordinary judgments. Thou dost not suffer us to live so long as we might by the course of nature. Thine anger, caused by our sinful state and lives.

Thou dost not now cover, or blot out, or pass by our sins, as thou hast usually done to thy people; but thou dost diligently search them out, and accurately observe them, as a severe but righteous Judge, and art now calling us to an account for them.

Are passed away; or, turn away themselves or their face from us. They do not continue with us, but quickly turn their backs upon us, and leave us. As a tale that is told; which may a little affect us for the present, but is quickly ended and gone out of mind, Or, as a word, as Job 37:2, which in an…

The days of our years; either, 1. Of the Israelites in the desert, who being twenty years old, and some, thirty, some forty, some fifty years old, when they came out of Egypt, and dying in the wilderness, as all of that age did, Num.

Who knoweth? few or none sufficiently apprehend it, or stedfastly believe it, or duly consider it, or are rightly affected with it. For all these things are comprehended under this word knoweth.

So teach us, by thy Spirit and grace, as thou hast already taught us by thy word. Or, teach us rightly (as this word is used, Num. 27:7, 2 Kings 7:9) to number, & c., as it follows.

Return, O Lord, to us in mercy; for thou seemest to have forsaken us and cast us off. How long; understand, wilt thou be angry; or, will it be ere thou return to us? Concerning thy servants; i.e. of thy severe proceedings against us, and change thy course and carriage to us.

Early; speedily or seasonably, before we be utterly consumed.

Our afflictions have been sharp and long, let not our prosperity be small and short.

Let that great and glorious work of giving thy people a complete deliverance, which thou hast long since designed and promised, be at last accomplished and manifested unto us, and in the sight of the world.

The beauty of the Lord, i.e. his favourable countenance, and gracious influence, and glorious presence. Upon us; or, in us. Do not only work for us, but in us.