Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
--Psalm 90:1-2 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on May 14, 2013 of Psalm 90; Mark 14:1-26; 1 Samuel 14:36-15.
Psalm 90 is the oldest of all the psalms and the only one written by Moses (although some believe he may have written the 91st also). When we treat all the psalms as comprising five books of the Bible, the 90th Psalm opens the fourth book, which mostly parallels the book of Numbers. In a sense, it exemplifies the human history of victory alternating with defeat, the cycle the early Israelis knew all too well. God heard the cry of the children of Israel in captivity and delivered them from Egypt. He led them through the wilderness, seeing to all their needs, feeding them with manna from heaven and splitting the very stones of the desert to draw forth water to slake their thirst. But then they complain and doubt and turn from God and suffer defeat once again, a spiritual defeat. The forth book of the Psalms writes this story in songs and poems.
For his part, Moses opens his psalm by recognizing and acknowledging God's eternal constancy, and His role in the affairs of humankind throughout time. Moses knows that nothing would have been or ever could be accomplished without God, a fact he proclaims with the simple statement that God has "been our dwelling place in all generations". We may think we live on the face of the earth or in our fancy houses and lavish apartments, but nothing we construct will last. Nothing we erect can withstand the ravages of time but will wear away in a blink of God's eye. Yet what God has made can stand forever if He so wills it to. More to the point, He Himself will stand forever, and it is in Him that we truly dwell. Out of His goodness we live. Through His mercy we abide. By His grace and great sacrifice we may be saved. He is our mighty fortress, in whom we can find safety. He is our Rock, a firm Foundation that will never crumble, upon which we can place all our hopes and build our lives.
Before He scooped out the valleys or formed the mountains on the face of the earth, before He even created the world to begin with, God was. God existed. And He was God. He always has been, He always is, and He always will be. God is eternal. God is constant, unchanging, ever the same. In a time of swirling confusing turmoil, God is our oasis. We can be sure of Him, know what to expect of Him, for He is the same today as He was when Moses lived, as He will be when Jesus returns to take His church home. Our Lord is perfect, dependable, constant, and from everlasting to everlasting, He is God. Amen.
Eternal God, we acknowledge You are eternal, and eternally loving. You have provided us with a safe and strong dwelling place for all our generations. Lord, we thank You for Your great generosity and kindness, and for Your unmerited grace. We know our words could never adequately express our thanks, so please may our actions and our service be pleasing in Your sight. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
For his part, Moses opens his psalm by recognizing and acknowledging God's eternal constancy, and His role in the affairs of humankind throughout time. Moses knows that nothing would have been or ever could be accomplished without God, a fact he proclaims with the simple statement that God has "been our dwelling place in all generations". We may think we live on the face of the earth or in our fancy houses and lavish apartments, but nothing we construct will last. Nothing we erect can withstand the ravages of time but will wear away in a blink of God's eye. Yet what God has made can stand forever if He so wills it to. More to the point, He Himself will stand forever, and it is in Him that we truly dwell. Out of His goodness we live. Through His mercy we abide. By His grace and great sacrifice we may be saved. He is our mighty fortress, in whom we can find safety. He is our Rock, a firm Foundation that will never crumble, upon which we can place all our hopes and build our lives.
Before He scooped out the valleys or formed the mountains on the face of the earth, before He even created the world to begin with, God was. God existed. And He was God. He always has been, He always is, and He always will be. God is eternal. God is constant, unchanging, ever the same. In a time of swirling confusing turmoil, God is our oasis. We can be sure of Him, know what to expect of Him, for He is the same today as He was when Moses lived, as He will be when Jesus returns to take His church home. Our Lord is perfect, dependable, constant, and from everlasting to everlasting, He is God. Amen.
Eternal God, we acknowledge You are eternal, and eternally loving. You have provided us with a safe and strong dwelling place for all our generations. Lord, we thank You for Your great generosity and kindness, and for Your unmerited grace. We know our words could never adequately express our thanks, so please may our actions and our service be pleasing in Your sight. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
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