1 Moses, setting forth God's providence
3 Complains of human fragility
7 Divine chastisement
10 and brevity of life
12 He prays for the knowledge and sensible experience of God's good providence.

A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490. A Prayer, or, A prayer, being a Psalm of Moses. This Psalm is supposed to have been composed by Moses, when all the generation of the Israelites who had offended God, were sentenced to fail in the wilderness, at the age of seventy or eighty years, except Moses, Caleb, and Joshua. Nu 13:1 14:1

the man Ex 33:14-19 De 33:1 1Ki 13:1 1Ti 6:11

Lord Ps 71:3 91:1,9 De 33:27 Isa 8:14 Eze 11:16 Joh 6:56 1Jo 4:16

all generations. Heb. generation and generation Ps 89:1

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.

* before Job 38:4-6,28,39 Pr 8:25,26 * or ever Ps 33:9 146:6 Ge 1:1 * even from Ps 93:2 102:24-27 103:17 Isa 44:6 57:15 Mic 5:2 Hab 1:12 1Ti 6:15,16 Heb 1:10-12 13:8 Re 1:8 * thou Isa 45:22

3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

thou Ps 104:29 146:4 Ge 3:19 6:6,7 Nu 14:35 Job 12:10 34:14,15 Ec 12:7

return ye children of men. Rather, Return ye children of Adam; to that dust out of which ye were originally formed

4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

for 2Pe 3:8

is past. or, when he hath passed them.
and as Mt 14:25 24:43 Lu 12:38

5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

thou Job 9:26 22:16 27:20,21 Isa 8:7,8 Jer 46:7,8

as a sleep Ps 73:20 Isa 29:7,8

morning Ps 103:15,16 Isa 40:6 Jas 1:10,11 1Pe 1:24

groweth up. or, is changed

6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

Ps 92:7 Job 14:2 Mt 6:30

7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

for we Ps 90:9,11 30:11 59:13 Nu 17:12,13 De 2:14-16 Heb 3:10,11,17-19 4:1,2

and we Ex 14:24 Ro 2:8,9

8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

thou Ps 10:11 50:21 139:1-4 Job 34:21 Jer 9:13-16 16:17 23:24 Eze 8:12 Re 20:12

our Ps 19:12 Pr 5:21 Ec 12:14 Lu 12:1,2 Ro 2:16 1Co 4:5 Heb 4:12,13 1Jo 3:20

in the Ps 80:16

9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

for Ps 78:33

passed. Heb. turned.
we spend. Our years pass away like those of the spider. Our plans and operations are like the spider's web. Life is as frail, and the thread of it as brittle, as one of those which constitute the well-wrought and curious, but fragile habitation of that insect. All the Versions have the word spider, but it is not found in any Hebrew MSS, or edition yet collated. The Hebrew might be rendered, We consume our lives with a groan.

a tale. Heb. a meditation Ps 90:4 39:5

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.

the days, etc. Heb. As for the days of our years, in them are seventy years. Ge 47:9 De 34:7

yet 2Sa 19:35 1Ki 1:1 Ec 12:2-7

for Ps 78:39 Job 14:10 24:24 Isa 38:12 Lu 12:20 Jas 4:14

11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

Le 26:18,21,24,28 De 28:59 29:20 Isa 33:14 Na 1:6 Lu 12:5 2Co 5:11 Re 6:17

12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

so Ps 39:4 De 32:29 Ec 9:10 Lu 12:35-40 Joh 9:4 Eph 5:16,17

that Job 28:28 Pr 2:2-6 3:13-18 4:5,7 7:1-4 8:32-36 16:16 18:1,2 22:17 23:12,23

apply our hearts. Heb. cause our hearts to come

13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

return Ps 6:4 80:14 Jer 12:15 Joe 2:13,14 Zec 1:16

how Ps 89:46

let it Ps 106:45 135:14 Ex 32:14 De 32:36 Ho 11:8 Am 7:3,6 Jon 3:9

14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

satisfy Ps 36:7,8 63:3-5 65:4 103:3-5 Jer 31:15 Zec 9:17

that we Ps 23:6 85:6 86:4 149:2 Php 4:4

15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

make Ps 30:5 126:5,6 Isa 12:1 40:1,2 61:3 65:18,19 Jer 31:12,13 Mt 5:4 Joh 16:20 Re 7:14-17

the years De 2:14-16

16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.

let Ps 44:1 Nu 14:15-24 Hab 3:2

and Nu 14:30,31 De 1:29 Jos 4:22-24 23:14

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.

and let Ps 27:4 50:2 80:3,7 110:3 2Co 3:18 1Jo 3:2

establish Ps 68:28 118:25 Job 22:28 Pr 16:3 Isa 26:12 1Co 3:7 2Th 2:16,17 3:1