Psalm 90: Lessons About God’s Love From Moses’ Only Psalm

Introduction: Psalm 90 is special for many reasons. It is the first psalm of the fourth book of psalms. It is the oldest psalm, and it is the only psalm that Moses authored. Here, the man who spent time with the Creator of the universe at Mount Horeb and the author of the Torah offered unique insights about God. He penned this psalm during the Jews’ 40-year march through the wilderness. He may have written this psalm after the Jews’ rebellion at the edge of the Promised Land (Nu. 14). Or, he may have written it after the deaths of Mariam, Aaron, and his own acts that barred him from entering the Promised Land (Nu. 20). Here, to encourage his discouraged people, Moses revealed several insights about God’s character. He is: (1) a God who provides, (2) eternal, (3) omniscient, (4) merciful, (5) willing to guide you, (6) graceful, and (7) loving.

First, during their 40-year time of wandering in the wilderness, Moses declared God to be the “dwelling place” for His people for “all generations.” Out of love, God is a dwelling and refuge for His people. Second, Moses, the author of Genesis, revealed that God has existed forever. God is eternal, sovereign, and faithful to His promises. Third, Moses lamented that the Jews’ hidden sins had been exposed. Their unwillingness to repent exposed them to God’s wrath in the wilderness. But God used His all-knowing power to correct, refine, and protect His people from evil. He promises to do the same for you when you trust and walk with Him. Fourth, Moses further confessed that there was nothing that God’s people could do on their own to escape the judgment that they deserved. But thankfully, God was merciful and forgiving to His people. Through Jesus’ atoning death, He also offers you mercy and forgiveness. Fifth, to keep His people on the right path, Moses pleaded for God’s guidance. God’s wisdom and guidance are freely available when you seek it through humility with prayer and by reading His Word. Sixth, Moses pleaded for God to bless His undeserving people. Because God loves you, He wants to pour our His grace on you as well. Finally, in the Jews’ sorrow, Moses pleaded for kindness. Out of love, God responded with kindness for His people. He offers you His love as well.

1. Provision: Out of Love, God is Your Dwelling and Refuge. Ps. 90:1.

God is a refuge for His people. During their time in the wilderness, Moses began by declaring God to be the dwelling place for His people: “A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. ¹ Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.” (Ps. 90:1). “For well nigh forty years Moses had had no fixed material dwelling place.” (Pulpit Commentary on Ps. 90).¹ “It is supposed that this psalm refers to the sentence passed on Israel in the wilderness, Nu 14. The favor and protection of God are the only sure rest and comfort of the soul in this evil world. Christ Jesus is the refuge and dwelling-place to which we may repair. We are dying creatures, all our comforts in the world are dying comforts, but God is an ever-living God, and believers find him so.” (Matthew Henry on Ps. 90).²
In our times of need, God becomes a refuge and dwelling place for His people. The psalmists regularly called God the dwelling place or refuge of His people: “Be to me a rock of dwelling to which I may continually come; You have given the commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.” (Ps. 71:3). “For you have made the LORD, my refuge, the Most High, your dwelling place.” (Ps. 91:9). “God is our refuge and strength, a very ready help in trouble.” (Ps. 46:1). “My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence.” (2 Sam. 22:3). “The LORD will also be a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble;” (Ps. 9:9). “The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and He drove out the enemy from before you, and said, ‘Destroy!’” (Dt. 33:27) (1995 NASB translation). God was there for His people because He loves them: “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the LORD our God whenever we call on Him?” (Dt. 4:7). Thus, in times of trouble, you can turn to God’s love as your refuge and protection.
God is also the eternal dwelling place for His people. Moses wrote this psalm during his time in the wilderness. But he focused on the eternal home that God provides. He declared that God would be a dwelling place for “all generations.” (Ps. 90:1). Through Jesus, God provides an eternal dwelling for His people. “For we know that if our earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens.” (2 Cor. 5:1). “And it shall be regarding an inheritance for them, that I am their inheritance; and you shall give them no property in Israel—I am their property.” (Ezek. 44:28). “In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you.” (Jo. 14:2). Thus, you can praise Jesus for the eternal dwelling place that He offers you.

In my Father's house are many mansions~ I go to prepare a place for you

Jesus offers you eternal dwelling, eternal love, eternal, fellowship and eternal belonging³

2. Eternity: God is Eternal, Sovereign, and Faithful to His Promises. Ps. 90:2-6.

God is eternal and sovereign over all creation. Moses proclaimed that God’s people could depend upon God because He has existed forever and is in control over everything: “²Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. ³You turn mortals back into dust and say, ‘Return, you sons of mankind.’ ⁴For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes by, or like a watch in the night. ⁵You have swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep; in the morning they are like grass that sprouts anew. ⁶In the morning it flourishes and sprouts anew; toward evening it wilts and withers away.” (Ps. 90:2-6). In contrast, mankind is frail and will one day return to dust (Ps. 90:3; 104:29; Gen. 3:19).
God has and will continue to reign supreme forever. Throughout the Bible, God is revealed to have existed forever. Moses called Yahweh “the Everlasting God.” (Gen. 21:33). God will also reign forever: “The LORD shall reign forever and ever.” (Ex. 15:18). “Your throne is established from of old; You are from eternity.” (Ps. 93:2). “Your throne, God, is forever and ever; the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of justice.” (Ps. 45:6). “But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end.” (Ps. 102:27). “I issue a decree that in all the realm of my kingdom people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for He is the living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever.” (Dan. 6:26). “You, LORD, rule forever; Your throne is from generation to generation.” (Lam. 5:19). “Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him; the number of His years is unsearchable.” (Job 36:26). “But regarding the Son He says, ‘Your throne, God, is forever and ever, and ever, and the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of His Kingdom.” (Heb. 1:8). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever.” (Heb. 13:8). Thus, you can God trust to keep His many promises to you.

Evidence For God

God created the universe, and He reigns supreme over everything within it⁴

God is the author of all creation. Being eternal, God created the universe and everything within it: “You gave birth to the earth and the world,” (Ps. 90:2). “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1). “In time of old You founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.” (Ps. 102:25; Heb. 1:10). “For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.” (1 Chr. 16:26). “You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their lights, the earth and everything that is on it, the seas and everything that is in them. You give life to all of them, and the heavenly lights bow down before You.” (Neh. 9:6). “for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.” (Col. 1:16). “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.” (Jo. 1:3). “By faith we understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible.” (Heb. 11:3).
God exists outside of our time. When God created the physical universe, He also created our time. Thus, a thousand years in our time can quickly pass to Him in His time: “⁴For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes by, or like a watch in the night.” (Ps. 90:4). Or, our time can pass slowly to Him: “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” (2 Pet. 3:8). Being outside of our time, He also knows the future and your every need. This allows Him to plan every event to unfold as part of His greater plan for good. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Ro. 8:28). Thus, you can trust in His plans for you. Some have interpreted these verses to also conclude that God does not experience His own passage of time in His eternal realm. But He promises that He will one day “forget” our sins (Is. 43:25; Jer. 31:34; Heb. 8:12). If our past were continually before Him in His own time, He would not have the opportunity to forget our sinful past that Jesus redeemed with His atoning death. Thus, believers’ future time in heaven will be eternal with a different heavenly passage of time.
Don’t put your trust in the fleeting things of this world. In contrast to God’s eternal nature, the things of the world will quickly pass, like grass: “⁵You have swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep; in the morning they are like grass that sprouts anew. ⁶In the morning it flourishes and sprouts anew; toward evening it wilts and withers away.” (Ps. 90:5-6). “The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; the people are indeed grass!” (Is. 40:7; 1 Pet. 1:24). “For they will wither quickly like the grass, and decay like the green plants.” (Ps. 37:2). “When the wicked sprouted up like grass and all who did injustice flourished, it was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.” (Ps. 92:7). “[B]ut the rich person is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so also the rich person, in the midst of his pursuits, will die out.” (Ja. 1:11). Thus, put your trust in God and not in worldly things: “and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the present form of this world is passing away.” (1 Cor. 7:31).

Time is God's Creation | Redeeming the time, Planning your day, Knowing god

God created time, and He wants you to use your limited time on Earth for His glory⁵

3. Omniscient: Out of Love, God Uses His All-Knowing Power to Correct, Refine, and Protect His People from Evil. Ps. 90:7-8.

God is all-knowing. Moses confessed that His people could not escape God’s wrath in the face of the Jews’ ongoing rebellions and attempts to conceal their sinful hearts: “⁷For we have been consumed by Your anger, and we have been terrified by Your wrath. ⁸You have placed our guilty deeds before You, our hidden sins in the light of Your presence.” (Ps. 90:7-8). The Jews’ stiff-necked hearts and unwillingness to let God correct their sinful ways caused God to bar them from the Promised Land (Nu. 14:26-35).
No sin cannot be hidden from God. Moses confessed that God had exposed the Jews’ hidden sins (Ps. 90:8). The Bible repeatedly proclaims that God is all-knowing, with no sin hidden from Him: “For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecc. 12:14). “One who walks in integrity walks securely, but one who perverts his ways will be found out.” (Prov. 10:9). “For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their wrongdoing concealed from My eyes.” (Jer. 16:17). “Does He not see my ways, and count all my steps?” (Job 31:4; 34:21). “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.” (Mk. 4:22; Lk. 8:17; 12:2). “Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of human hearts; and then praise will come to each person from God.” (1 Cor. 4:5). “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must answer.” (Heb. 4:13). Thus, believers should not fool themselves into thinking that they can conceal their sins or evil desires from God.
God tests and disciplines to expose and correct our hidden sins. Moses lamented that God exposed His wrath against His stiff-necked people (Ps. 90:7). To many, it might appear that God’s omniscience is something to fear because no one is without sin (Ecc. 7:20; Rom. 3:23). But God uses His all-knowing power to discipline and correct believers: “So you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.” (Dt. 8:5; Heb. 12:6). “With rebukes You punish a person for wrongdoing; You consume like a moth what is precious to him; certainly all mankind is mere breath! Selah” (Ps. 39:11). He then transforms believers to be holy: “He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works.” (Ps. 33:15). Thus, His discipline is done out of love to refine believers and purify them: “For You have put us to the test, God; You have refined us as silver is refined.” (Ps. 66:10). “But He knows the way I take; when He has put me to the test, I will come out as gold.” (Job 23:10). When He exposes your sins, He wants you to repent of them: “Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.” (Rev. 3:19).
Invite God to examine and test your heart for evil. Thus, believers should invite God into their hearts to expose and remove their hidden sins and evil desires: “Examine me, LORD, and put me to the test; refine my mind and my heart.” (Ps. 26:2). “Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts;” (Ps. 139:23). “Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.” (Ps. 19:12). Are you giving God full control over your heart? Or, is He unwelcome in certain areas?
God’s omniscience allows Him to protect believers. Believers also should praise God for His holy, all-knowing power because He uses His ability to protect you from others: “So do not fear them [evil people], for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” (Matt. 10:26). “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Ps. 23:4). “A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; whom should I dread?” (Ps. 27:1). When you walk with God, you can trust Him and know that He will protect you.

4. Mercy: Out of Love, God Offers You Mercy Through Jesus. Ps. 90:9-11.

Because God is just, He must judge sin. Because the Jews had repeatedly rebelled against God, Moses confessed that there was nothing they could do to escape the judgment they deserved: “⁹For all our days have dwindled away in Your fury; we have finished our years like a sigh. ¹⁰As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, yet their pride is only trouble and tragedy; for it quickly passes, and we disappear. ¹¹Who understands the power of Your anger and Your fury, according to the fear that is due You?” (Ps. 90:9-11). In reference to the estimates of 70 to 80 years, the Pulpit Commentary explains: “This seems a low estimate for the time of Moses, since he himself died at the ago of a hundred and twenty (Deuteronomy 34:7), Aaron at the age of a hundred and twenty-three (Numbers 33:39), and Miriam at an age which was even more advanced (Numbers 20:1; comp. Exodus 2:4). But these may have been exceptional cases, and we have certainly no sufficient data for determining what was the average length of human life in the later period of the wanderings. The suggestion has been made that it was probably even shorter than that here mentioned . . . Moreover, even if we live to eighty, our life seems to us no more than a span, so soon does it pass away, and we take our departure.” (Pulpit Commentary on Ps. 90).⁶
God’s Old Testament warnings that He would “blot out” evil people in the end times. Because God is holy and righteous, He cannot tolerate sin in His presence: “God is a righteous judge, and a God who shows indignation every day.” (Ps. 7:11). “You, You indeed are to be feared, and who may stand in Your presence, once You are angry?” (Ps. 76:7). Thus, in the Torah, God warned that He would “blot out” the evil people from heaven: “the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven.” (Dt. 29:20(b)). He also warned that He would destroy Israel when it was disobedient: “It shall come about that as the LORD delighted over you to prosper you, and multiply you, so the LORD will delight over you to make you perish and destroy you; and you will be torn from the land where you are entering to possess it.” (Dt. 28:63). He further warned that He would bring judgment upon the world using fire and then darkness: ‘“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.’” (Mal. 4:1; Is. 13:10; Joel 2:31; Zephaniah 1:2-3).
God’s New Testament warnings that He would destroy the world. In the New Testament, Jesus gave an analogy of God’s judgment in Noah’s day to warn of the coming judgment during the end times: “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.” (Matt. 24:37; Lk. 17:26-27). “The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 13:41-42). “For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.” (2 Pet. 3:5-7). The final judgment will bring fire and darkness (Matt. 24:29; Mk. 13:24; Lk. 21:25; Acts 2:20; Rev. 6:12). You are no less deserving of this judgment than the Jews who rebelled against God in the wilderness. But Jesus has paid the price for your sins at the cross. Are you thanking Him daily for your undeserved mercy and grace?
Give thanks that God is merciful. Even though every person deserves to be judged for their sins, you can give thanks that God is filled with mercy each time you repent and return to Him: “The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, for His compassions do not fail. ²³They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lam. 3:22-23). “Then you will say on that day, “I will give thanks to You, LORD; for although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.” (Is. 12:1). “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you.” (Is. 54:7). He is merciful in the face of our sins because he is filled with compassion and love: “For the LORD your God is a compassionate God; He will not abandon you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.” (Dt. 4:31). God loves you and does not want you to suffer from your sins. Thus, He deserves your praise.
Give thanks that Jesus died to give you mercy. Believers can receive mercy by faith in the punishment that Jesus took at the cross for every believer: “But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; the punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” (Is. 53:5). “and He Himself brought our sins in His body up on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed.” (1 Pet. 2:24). You can also show your gratitude for His sacrifice by making your life a living sacrifice to Him (Ro. 12:1).
You can trust Jesus’ promises of mercy. David once stated that God’s “faithfulness reaches to the skies.” (Ps. 36:5). “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.” (Ps. 103:11). “For His mercy toward us is great, and the truth of the LORD is everlasting. Praise the LORD!” (Ps. 117:2). “For Your goodness is great to the heavens and Your truth to the clouds.” (Ps. 57:10). You can give thanks that His mercy knows no bounds. “Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” (Ro. 1:33). The enemy will put thoughts in your head that your sins are too big to be forgiven. But God is faithful to keep His promises of mercy and forgiveness.

5. Guidance: God’s Love Includes His Guidance and Wisdom. Ps. 90:12-13.

God offers wisdom and guidance to those who seek it in humility. Because the Jews could not on their own redeem themselves and return to a righteous path, Moses prayed for God to act without delay to grant wisdom to His people: “¹²So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom. ¹³Do return, Lord; how long will it be? And be sorry for Your servants.” (Ps. 90:12-13). “When Moses considered the frail nature of humanity and the righteous judgment of God, it made him ask God for the wisdom to understand the shortness of life.” (David Guzik on Ps. 90).⁷
Seek God’s wisdom and guidance to stay on His path for you. As our example, other psalmists regularly called out for God to guide them to keep them on His righteous path: “LORD, lead me in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before me.” (Ps. 5:8). “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.” (Ps. 23:3). “He leads the humble in justice, and He teaches the humble His way.” (Ps. 25:9). “Teach me Your way, LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.” (Ps. 27:11). “Let me hear Your faithfulness in the morning, for I trust in You; teach me the way in which I should walk; for to You I lift up my soul.” (Ps. 143:8). “Many nations will come and say, ‘Come and let’s go up to the mountain of the LORD and to the house of the God of Jacob, so that He may teach us about His ways, and that we may walk in His paths.’ For from Zion will go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Micah 4:2). Are you praying for God to guide you and to keep you on His narrow path of righteousness?
Diligently read God’s Word and pray for God’s wisdom. Moses wanted to receive God’s wisdom without delay (Ps. 90:13). God also wants you to diligently read His Word and pray without delay for His wisdom to be revealed to you: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (Jam. 1:5). “For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Prov. 2:6). “Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in secret You will make wisdom known to me.” (Ps. 51:6). “For to a person who is good in His sight, He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, . ..” (Ecc. 2:26). When you pray and submit to God, the Holy Spirit will guide your path and reveal God’s wisdom to you: “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” (Jo. 16:13). “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” (Jo. 14:16). God wants you to seek His guidance through prayer and the Word. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Ps. 119:105; 2 Pet. 1:19). Are you diligently seeking God’s wisdom in your life?

Psalm 90:12, KJV | Psalm 90 12, Kjv, Psalms

Turn to God to guide you and teach you during the limited time available to you⁸

6. Grace: Out of Love, God Offers You Undeserved Blessings. Ps. 90:14-16.

God is gracious to His undeserving people. Moses pleaded with God to bless His sinful people in the wilderness: “¹⁴Satisfy us in the morning with Your graciousness, that we may sing for joy and rejoice all our days. ¹⁵Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us, and the years we have seen evil. ¹⁶Let Your work appear to Your servants and Your majesty to their children.” (Ps. 90:14-16). According to the NASB translation above, Moses pleaded for God’s “graciousness”. According to the NKJ, Moses pleaded for God’s “mercy”. According to the NIV, Moses pleaded for God’s “unfailing love”. Grace is receiving the blessing you do not deserve. Mercy is not receiving the judgment you do deserve. God’s unfailing love is at the root of His mercy and grace. Combining the three translations, Moses pleaded for God’s undeserved blessings that come from His unfailing love for a people in desperate need of mercy. The famous British evangelist Charles Spurgeon put this prayer in the context of a generation that carried God’s death sentence: “Lord, if we must die in this desert, if this whole generation (except Caleb and Joshua) must pass away in the wilderness, then, at any rate, give us the fullness of Thy favor now, that we may spend all our remaining days, whether they be too few or many, in gladness and rejoicing.” (Charles Spurgeon on Ps. 90).⁹
Out of grace, God can restore the missing joy in your life. Moses pleaded for God to help His people find joy as they wandered in the wilderness (Ps. 90:15). On other occasions, the psalmists cried out for God to restore their lost joy: “Make the soul of Your servant joyful, for to You, Lord, I lift up my soul.” (Ps. 86:4). “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.” (Ps. 51:12). God offers you joy as a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). If you are missing joy in your life, cry out to God. Out of grace, He offers to restore it. “Shout for joy, you heavens! And rejoice, you earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted.” (Is. 49:13). “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.” (Is. 66:13).

Pin on Christ...Rudhira Dhaara

Turn to God and delight in His ways to enjoy the fullness of His grace¹⁰

Out of grace, God also offers to give you the desires of your heart. If you find joy in the things of God, He will fulfill your heart’s desires: “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Ps. 37:4). “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your comfort delights my soul.” (Ps. 94:19).

7. Love: In Your Times of Need, God Offers You His Love. Ps. 90:17.

Because He is filled with compassion, God offers you His love. In their time of sorrow, Moses pleaded for God to show His loving kindness and to confirm His plans for His people: “¹⁷May the kindness of the Lord our God be upon us and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm the work of our hands.” (Ps. 90:17). According to the NIV, Moses requested God’s “favor”. According to the NKJV, Moses requested God’s “beauty.” All translations flow from God’s love: “The ‘beauty of God’ is upon us when we see and realize the loveliness of his character.” (Pulpit Commentary on Ps. 90:17).¹¹
God’s love for you includes kindness and compassion. Moses pleaded for God’s “kindness.” (Ps. 90:17) (NASB). God is the source of all true agape love. His love includes “kindness” to you: “Love is patient, love is kind, . . .” (1 Cor. 13:4). “so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:7). “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,” (Titus 3:4). “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and restraint and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” (Ro. 2:4). “Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in faithfulness and truth;”’ (Ex. 34:6). “For the LORD will vindicate His people, and will have compassion on His servants, when He sees that their strength is gone, and there is none remaining, bond or free.” (Dt. 32:36). “We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” (Jam. 5:11).
God loves you, even when you rebel against Him. Moses wanted God to show His love for His people when they felt defeated. Because God is filled with love, He blessed His sinful people with His love: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” (Jo. 3:16). “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Ro. 5:8). “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you…” (Jo. 15:12-13; 1 Jo. 3:16). When you need love and kindness, turn to Jesus. He will shower you with His love when you seek Him all your heart (Jer. 29:13).
Out of love, He will finish His work in you. Moses pleaded for God to “confirm the work of our hands.” (Ps. 90:17). Out of love, Jesus will complete the work He started in you: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:6). You can trust in His love for you.