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believe, Psa. 91: Most readers know that the Psalms are divided into five books, each
of which corresponds with one of the books of Moses. The fourth of these comprises
Psalms 90:-106:, and is the Numbers section, which is appropriately opened by the Psalm
of Moses. This Psalm has a direct bearing upon the condition of those men who, being
twenty years old and upwards, were condemned to die in the wilderness, while Psa. 91:
speaks to those, their children, who were to be spared and carried triumphantly through
the wilderness and into the promised land.
The references in Psa. 90: to the 40 years' wandering in the wilderness are:--
"Thou turnest man to destruction, and sayest, return ye children of men" (verse 3).
"All our days are passed away in Thy wrath, we spend our years as a tale that is told"
(verse 9).
"The days of our years are threescore years and ten" (verse 10).
"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom" (verse 12).
The statement concerning the threescore years and ten refers primarily to the children
of Israel. Any man who was twenty years of age when Israel were turned back into the
wilderness could "number his days"--he would die at, or before, attaining 60 years--so
with all the rest, 70 years being a fair average.
In this plight Israel's hope is in the Lord and His "return", which will be the better
realized when we consider the general structure of the Psalm. But before this is set out,
we must consider the relationship of the two Psalms together. The Companion Bible says
that "Psalms 90: and 91: are evidently one Psalm in two parts", and the reader of the
Hebrew Bible will find nothing to suggest the end of one Psalm and the beginning of
another. In the absence of any division it is more easily seen that the opening verse of
Psa. 90: corresponds with the opening verse of Psa. 91::--
"Lord Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations" (Psa. 90: 1).
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of
the Almighty" (Psa. 91: 1).
The two Psalms, taken together, exhibit the following theme:--
Psalms 90: and 91:
A |
90: 1, 2. The Lord. The dwelling place of His people.
B
| 90: 3-17. Result of being expelled from this security.
A |
91: 1. The Lord. The dwelling place of His people.
B
| 91: 2-15. Result of abiding under His shadow.
While Psa. 90: speaks to Israel as condemned to die in the wilderness, Psa. 91:
assures their children that none of the instruments of destruction--the snare of the fowler,
the noisome pestilence, the terror by night, the arrow by day, the lion and the adder--
shall come nigh or hurt them.
The expansion of that part of Psa. 90: which shows Israel's condemnation and hope
is as follows:--