A Prayer of Moses, the Man of God

Most of the time we think of the Psalms as being written by King David, the Sons of Korah, or Asaph--which most of them are--but what about Moses? Book 4 (Pss 90–106) of the Psalms begins with: "A prayer of Moses, the man of God" (note: the superscriptions in the Psalms ARE inspired Scripture so don't read over them lightly!). So when you come across biblical insight like this, it is significant to keep in mind the life and other writings of Moses as you read Psalm 90.

A couple of examples illustrate this point:

Psalm 90:1 "Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations."

Moses was God's chosen servant-leader during Israel's captivity, exodus, and flight from Egypt and their wandering in the wilderness. Most notably, Moses was given the Law of God to help Israel live according to God's holy standards. Also during their wandering from Egypt to the Promised Land as they departed from Mount Sinai, "Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp" (Ex 33:7).

The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament says, of the word "dwelling place":

NwøoDm (maœ{o®n) dwelling, habitation.
NwøoDm. Dwelling. (ASV, RSV similar except 1 Sam 2:29, 32 and Zeph 3:17 where RSV emends to read “eye”.) It is used eighteen times. This word is used to depict the ruins of desolate cities now the dwelling place of wild animals. Most frequently it designates the Lord’s dwelling place, i.e. heaven (always qualified with the word “holy”) and the temple (Ps 26:8). Finally it portrays the Lord as a refuge for his people (71:3; 90:1; 91:9).

Derek Kidner, in his Psalms 73–150 Commentary, says, " 'Dwelling place' is specially relevant to this psalm's emphasis on human rootlessness, and is a metaphor found also in the Blessing of Moses: 'the eternal God is your dwelling place' " (Deut 33:27).

"Moses, the man of God," had a unique role and privilege among the people of Israel because he sought the glory of God. "The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend" (33:11). The God who appeared to Moses in the burning bush and on the fiery mountain top at Sinai met with Moses regularly in the tent of meeting in order that Moses might lead the people of God in holy service and humble obedience to Him.

So for Moses to pray to God: "Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations" in Ps 90:1, you can see what he means. God has always been a refuge for His people, in captivity, wilderness, and on their way to the Promised Land as they trust in His promises.

Psalm 90:3 "You return man to dust and say, 'Return, O children of man!'"

The text Moses was probably meditating on was Genesis 1–3 (which He wrote through God's superintendence). A number of observations in his prayer prove this point: 

1. In verse 2, Moses references God being God even before He brought forth mountains and formed the earth and the world. This is obviously reminiscent of the Creation account in Genesis 1 (especially Gen 1:1).
2. Although in verse 3 the Hebrew word for 'dust' is different than in Genesis 3:19 ("for you are dust, and to dust you shall return"), it is the same verb 'return' which ties back to the curse on mankind for Adam's sin. This reference to the Fall and death as our sentence serves as the setting for the rest of the Psalm.
3. Each verse referring to God's anger and wrath toward man's iniquity serves to remind man that under the curse we all are brought to an end (v. 7), dismayed (v. 7), and in severe affliction (15). And if God is not our dwelling place (v. 1), our all-satisfying steadfast love (v. 14), and the Granter of divine favor (v. 17) then we will remain under His wrath.
4. In verses 4 and 10, it may be that Moses is intentionally contrasting the long lives of the patriarchs in Genesis (Adam=930; Seth=912; Methuselah=969) with the lives of those in Israel at the time of his writing (70 or 80 years). Regardless, it is true that "our years are soon gone, and we fly away" (90:10).

It must be kept in mind that Genesis and Psalms are different literary genres (narrative and poetry), even though there are poetic elements in Genesis. The Psalms function as heart-felt reflections on and exaltations of the eternal character and covenant relationship of God to His people.

Psalm 90:12 "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."

This prayer is similar to Isaiah 40 for its presentation of God's greatness and eternality over frail humanity, but while Isaiah is encouraging his readers in a positive tone, Moses has a more sober tone of correction for the iniquities of God's people. 

In Deuteronomy 34:5, 7 and 9, it says, "So Moses the servant of the LORD died there... 7 Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated... 9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses."

So even though Moses did not physically lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land, "there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face" (Deut 34:10). He heeded his own advice. He lived his own prayer in Psalm 90:12. 

Our days are numbered, what will they be spent doing? A "heart of wisdom" will stir within our hearts a hunger to find satisfaction in the steadfast love of God (v. 14) and the favor of the Lord (v. 17).