The majority of today’s passage discusses things that honestly, should scare us. It covers everything from God’s power, anger, and indignation, to His wrath. It speaks of our secret sins being revealed, being turned to dust, and being swept away in death. Not really happy times.
Yet it starts by saying,
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.” – Ps 90:1
The phrase “dwelling place” is translated from the Hebrew “maown” and is from the same as “ownah” which means an abode or retreat, hence an asylum.
So Moses found retreat in Him… the one who’s wrath can turn him to dust.
In light of all else that is said by Moses in this passage, how in the world can He come to this conclusion? If his case is packed with the realities found in verse 2-17, how can this make sense? The answer is something we tend to neglect… a lot. There are two critical verses sandwiched in between the seemingly “scary” characteristics that tell us how. First by telling us how God looks at the temporal, and by implication how He looks at us, our circumstances, and our journey:
For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.” – Psalm 90:4
Eight verses later we see the acknowledgement of Moses, our need to do the same, and the perspective changing wisdom that results.
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12
I’ve heard that perspective is everything… it really is. It’s not a twist on words in Psalm 90 to find comfort in God’s wrath, it’s a twist of perspective. Truly changing our focus from the eternal not the temporal. Not just in our minds, but in our hearts (vs.12). And it changes everything… especially how we perceive our God. Then, His power becomes comfort to us as children of God, not condemnation. He becomes our retreat.
brandon hatmaker 