Psalm 90:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!”

NIV: You turn people back to dust, saying, 'Return to dust, you mortals.'

NASB: You turn mortals back into dust And say, 'Return, you sons of mankind.'

CSB: You return mankind to the dust, saying, "Return, descendants of Adam."

NLT: You turn people back to dust, saying, 'Return to dust, you mortals!'

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

NKJV: You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men.”

Moses comments on human frailty. He asserts that God ends a human's life and returns him to dust. This echoes the words Moses also penned in Genesis 2:7, saying "then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." The word for "dust" in this verse comes from a Hebrew word meaning to crush and refers to something pulverized into a grit or powder.

In Genesis 3:19, after Adam sinned, God announced: "By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." Death is both a consequence of sin and a sentence God imposed on humanity because of sin. Romans 6:23 points out that "the wages of sin is death," and Hebrews 9:27 teaches that "it is appointed for man to die once." Scientists have made progress in delaying death in many cases, but they cannot eliminate death. It is inevitable.

Psalm 90:3–10 reflects on life's brevity and God's wrath. Psalm 8:4 raises the question of man's status, and James 4:14 describes life as finite and fleeting. Numbers 14:33–35 spells out God's judgment on the Israelites for refusing His call to enter Canaan.

Psalm 90, likely the oldest psalm, opens with Moses addressing God as eternal and Israel's dwelling place, but quickly shifts to an acknowledgement of man's brief life on earth. Our iniquity is the reason God directs His wrath at us. In most cases, a person can expect to live somewhere around 70 or 80 years, barring disease or misfortune. Short or long, life is full of toil and trouble. In view of life's brevity, Moses asks the Lord to fill His people with wisdom. He also asks the Lord to reveal His work, demonstrate His power, grant His favor, and make Israel's labor successful.

Psalm 90, written by Moses, is most likely the oldest psalm, presuming it was written during Israel's wandering in the desert. This begins the fourth division of Psalms (90—106) and likely was written after Israel refused to heed the Lord's command to enter and occupy Canaan (Numbers 13—14). The background for Psalm 90 is Israel's wanderings for forty years in the desert and the perishing of a generation as a result of its disobedience. The psalm focuses on God's eternal nature and man's finite nature. It stresses God's anger against sin and appeals to His compassion to restore and bless His people.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 5/4/2024 12:25:49 PM