Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - Psalms 90:13 - 90:13
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
The prayer for a salutary knowledge, or discernment, of the appointment of divine wrath is now followed by the prayer for the return of favour, and the wish that God would carry out His work of salvation and bless Israel's undertakings to that end. We here recognise the well-known language of prayer of Moses in Exo 32:12, according to which שׁוּבָה is not intended as a prayer for God's return to Israel, but for the turning away of His anger; and the sigh עַד־מָתָי that is blended with its asks how long this being angry, which threatens to blot Israel out, is still to last. וְהִנָּהֵם is explained according to this same parallel passage: May God feel remorse or sorrow (which in this case coincide) concerning His servants, i.e., concerning the affliction appointed to them. The naming of the church by עֲבָדֶיךָ (as in Deu 9:27, cf. Exo 32:13 of the patriarchs) reminds one of Deu 32:36 : concerning His servants He shall feel compassion (Hithpa. instead of the Niphal). The prayer for the turning of wrath is followed in Psa 90:14 by the prayer for the turning towards them of favour. In בַּבֹּקֶר there lies the thought that it has been night hitherto in Israel. “Morning” is therefore the beginning of a new season of favour. In שַׂבְּעֵנוּ (to which הַסְדֶּךָ is a second accusative of the object) is implied the thought that Israel whilst under wrath has been hungering after favour; cf. the adjective שָׂבֵעַ in the same tropical signification in Deu 33:23. The supplicatory imperatives are followed by two moods expressive of intention: then will we, or: in order that we may rejoice and be glad; for futures like these set forth the intention of attaining something as a result or aim of what has been expressed just before: Ew. §325, a. בְּכָל־יָמֵינוּ is not governed by the verbs of rejoicing (Psa 118:24), in which case it would have been בְּחַיֵּינוּ, but is an adverbial definition of time (Psa 145:2; Psa 35:8): within the term of life allotted to us. We see from Psa 90:15 that the season of affliction has already lasted for a long time. The duration of the forty years of wrath, which in the midst of their course seemed to them as an eternity, is made the measure of the reviving again that is earnestly sought. The plural יְמֹות instead of יְמֵי is common only to our Psalm and Deu 32:7; it is not known elsewhere to Biblical Hebrew. And the poetical שְׁנֹות instead of שְׁנֵי, which also occurs elsewhere, appears for the first time in Deu 32:7. The meaning of עִנִּיתָנוּ, in which ימות hcihw is specialized after the manner of a genitive, is explained from Deu 8:2., according to which the forty years' wandering in the wilderness was designed to humble (עַנֹּות) and to prove Israel through suffering. At the close of these forty years Israel stands on the threshold of the Promise Land. To Israel all final hopes were closely united with the taking possession of this land. We learn from Gen. 49 that it is the horizon of Jacob's prophetic benediction. This Psalm too, in Psa 90:16-17, terminates in the prayer for the attainment of this goal. The psalmist has begun in Psa 90:1 his adoration with the majestic divine name אֲדֹנָי; in Psa 90:13 he began his prayer with the gracious divine name יַהְוֶה; and now, where he mentions God for the third time, he gives to Him the twofold name, so full of faith, אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ. אֶל used once alternates with the thrice repeated עַל: salvation is not Israel's own work, but the work of Jahve; it therefore comes from above, it comes and meets Israel. It is worthy of remark that the noun פֹּעַל occurs only in Deuteronomy in the whole Tôra, and that here also of the gracious rule of Jahve, Psa 32:4, cf. Psa 33:11. The church calls the work of the Lord מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ in so far as He executes it through them. This expression מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַיִם as a designation of human undertakings runs through the whole of the Book of Deuteronomy: Deu 2:7; Deu 4:28; Deu 11:7; Deu 14:29; Deu 16:15; Deu 24:19; Deu 27:15; Deu 28:12; Deu 30:9. In the work of the Lord the bright side of His glory unveils itself, hence it is called הָדָר; this too is a word not alien at least to the language of Deuteronomy, Deu 33:17. Therein is made manifest נֹעַם ה, His graciousness and condescension - an expression which David has borrowed from Moses in Psa 27:4. יֵרָאֶה and יְהִי are optatives. כֹּונֲנָה is an urgent request, imperat. obsecrantis as the old expositors say. With Waw the same thought is expressed over again (cf. Isa 55:1, וּלכוּ, yea come) - a simple, childlike anadiplosis which vividly reminds us of the Book of Deuteronomy, which revolves in thoughts that are ever the same, and by that very means speaks deeply to the heart. Thus the Deuteronomic impression of this Psalm accompanies us from beginning to end, from מָעֹון to מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַיִם. Nor will it now be merely accidental that the fondness for comparisons, which is a peculiarity of the Book of Deuteronomy (Deu 1:31, Deu 1:44; Deu 8:5; Deu 28:29, Deu 28:49, cf. Deu 28:13, Deu 28:44; Deu 29:17-18), is found again in this Psalm.