Death and Dying - Psalm 90-92

 Psalms 90:9-11 (ESV)

For all our days pass away under your wrath;

we bring our years to an end like a sigh.

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.

Who considers the power of your anger,

and your wrath according to the fear of you?

Psalm 90 was written by Moses, just prior to his death.   It is a prayer for the nation of Israel who will soon enter the promise land without Moses.  He will die for his disobedience and not take part in the promise of the land.  In the above text he is referring to both the nation and individual man.   His conclusion of life is that our entire life is really lived under the “wrath” and “anger” of God (see verses 7-8).    We all will die and death is the ultimate reminder of God’s wrath.    Those who come to Christ, of course are free from God’s wrath (Romans 8:1), but, in truth, we still live under it every day and feel the consequences of it each moment and circumstances of our lives.   

In these three Psalms (90-92), we see references to our age and our passing.  In the above verses we are reminded that our time is short and that we are passing away under God’s wrath.  We are told that our “span is but toil and trouble.”   In the song written in Psalm 91 we are told that in our “long life” God will “satisfy” us.   Note:

Psalms 91:14-16 (ESV)

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;

I will protect him, because he knows my name.

When he calls to me, I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him and honor him.

With long life I will satisfy him

and show him my salvation.”

Note what the writer of Psalm 92 tells us about our life and death:

Psalms 92:12-15 (ESV)

The righteous flourish like the palm tree

and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

They are planted in the house of the LORD;

they flourish in the courts of our God.

They still bear fruit in old age;

they are ever full of sap and green,

to declare that the LORD is upright;

he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

What we learn from these three passages is:

1. Our time on earth is limited. 

2. Our time on earth is characterized by living under God’s wrath.

3. Our time on earth, if blessed, is in spite of God’s wrath and is God showing us His divine favor. 

4. Our time on earth will draw to a close in BOTH pain and suffering, but, for those who walk with God, in fruit and declaration of God’s power and might. 

We know we will all die.  But, the way we die and how we live to the end is in direct proportion to our walk with God and desire to obey and follow Him in faith.