1 Lord, You have been our dwelling placein all generations.

2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.

— Psalm 90:1-2

The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their spanc is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.

— Psalm 90:10

12 So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

13 Return, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants.

14 Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

16 Let Your work be shown to Your servants, and Your glorious power to their children.

17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

— Psalm 90:12-14, 16-17

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace and mercy from God to you.

Psalm 90:12 is a key part of a meditation on God and on living as the people of God.
A reflection on time leads us to see how weak we are and how short our lives are: “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.” The shortness and weakness of human life are the fruit of sin and God’s judgment in the world. Although life is short, the mercy and protection of God for His people are great. While the life of man is frail and short, God is eternal.

God is the home of His people. He has been our dwelling place in all generations. Through all the generations of His people’s existence, reaching back all the way to creation, God has always preserved and protected His people. Even in the garden of Eden, He promised that He would redeem His own (Gen. 3:15). Hallelujah! God remains the home of His people because He is the redeeming God.