Psalms 90:10
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The Hebrew word used here for "fly away" paints a picture not of a gentle drifting, but of a swift, almost urgent departure, like a bird suddenly taking flight. This emphasizes that even the "strength" of advanced years, often marked by toil and sorrow, is still incredibly brief and subject to a rapid end.
This psalm, attributed to Moses, is a meditation on the brevity of human life, especially in contrast to God's eternal nature. It comes after a lament about God's anger and the swift passing of days, highlighting how quickly life moves from its beginning to its end. The verse itself reflects on the typical lifespan, noting that even exceptional longevity is filled with toil, and that life passes away with startling speed.
Ever feel like life is moving too fast? This ancient psalm offers a specific number for how long we can expect to live. What does that number mean?
A Commonly Accepted Limit
The psalmist states that the typical lifespan is "seventy years." This wasn't just a random guess; it reflects a widely recognized, albeit approximate, duration for human life in ancient times. Many scholars note that even non-biblical writers and cultures observed a similar limit.
Strength Might Extend It
However, the verse acknowledges that "by reason of strength"—meaning exceptional health and constitution—some might live to "eighty years." This recognizes that while there's a general pattern, individual variations exist. It’s like saying, 'Most people will get this far, but a few strong ones might push it a little longer.'
Once we hit those seventy or eighty years, is it all smooth sailing? The psalm uses strong words to describe what those later years often bring.
Toil and Trouble:
The verse doesn't just state the number of years; it defines their quality. It declares that life's span, even when extended, is characterized by "toil and trouble." This suggests that human existence is inherently difficult, marked by hard labor, suffering, and worry. It's not a rosy picture, but a stark acknowledgment of life’s challenges.
The "Pride" That Fades
Some interpretations suggest that the "strength" in these later years, or perhaps the very prestige of old age itself, amounts to "but toil and trouble" or even "pride is but travail and misery." This implies that what we might pride ourselves on – our experience, our longevity, our perceived strength in old age – is ultimately a source of weariness and sorrow rather than genuine joy or accomplishment. The energy that once was is now spent merely enduring.
Understand the original words
amal · Hebrew Noun
Hard, painful labor or exhausting effort. Biblically, it is often associated with the fallen state of humanity and the futility of human striving apart from God's grace.
aven · Hebrew Noun
Affliction, hurt, or misery. It characterizes the fallen human experience as marked by pain and difficulty.
This psalm, attributed to Moses, reflects on the brevity of life during a time when God's judgment had drastically shortened lifespans for the Israelites in the wilderness. The 'seventy years' mentioned was not a general standard but a stark reality for that generation, underscoring their toil and the swiftness with which their lives ended.
c. 1400 BC
Israel Exits Egypt
Following centuries of slavery, the Israelites, led by Moses, depart from Egypt in a massive exodus, marking the beginning of their 40-year journey through the wilderness.
c. 1400 BC
Wilderness Wanderings Begin
The Israelites begin their journey in the Sinai desert. God decrees that the generation that refused to enter the Promised Land will perish in the wilderness, unable to reach the age of forty.
c. 1360 BC
The Golden Calf Incident
The people of Israel commit idolatry at Mount Sinai, building and worshipping a golden calf. This event leads to severe judgment, including plagues and further shortening of lifespans.
c. 1360 BC— this verse
The Census in the Plains of Moab
A second census is taken after the wilderness wanderings. It reveals that out of the original census taken at Sinai, only Joshua and Caleb remain alive, highlighting the drastically shortened lifespans of the generation.
This passage shows Jacob, a patriarch, describing his life as short and full of suffering, echoing the sentiment of Psalm 90:10 about life being characterized by 'toil and trouble.'
Job 14:1-2These verses speak of man's life being short and full of trouble, directly correlating with the themes of brevity and hardship presented in Psalm 90:10.
Ecclesiastes 12:1-7This section vividly describes the decline of old age, where 'strength is labor and sorrow,' and life quickly passes away, mirroring the melancholic reflection on aging found in Psalm 90:10.
Numbers 14:29This verse references God's decree that many Israelites would not reach the promised land due to their disobedience, implying a shortened lifespan that aligns with the theme of life's brevity in Psalm 90:10, especially in the context of the wilderness generation.
1 Corinthians 15:19Paul states that if Christ has not been raised, then 'those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished,' highlighting that this life, without resurrection hope, is all we have, making its swift passage and troubles even more significant, as reflected in Psalm 90:10.
bensonPsalms 90:10: "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."
Psalm 90:10 . The days of our years — Of the generality of mankind, in that and all following ages, some few persons excepted, are threescore years and ten — Which time the ancient heathen writers also fixed as the usual space of men’s lives. And if by reason of strength — That is, more than or…
ellicottPsalms 90:10: "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."
(10) Yet is their strength . . . —The LXX. (and so Vulg.) appear to have had a slightly different reading, which gives much better sense: “Yet their additional years are but labour and sorrow.” The old man has no reason to congratulate himself on passing the ordinary limit, of life. For it is s…
The Hebrew word used here for "fly away" paints a picture not of a gentle drifting, but of a swift, almost urgent departure, like a bird suddenly taking flight. This emphasizes that even the "strength" of advanced years, often marked by toil and sorrow, is still incredibly brief and subject to a rapid end.
This psalm, attributed to Moses, is a meditation on the brevity of human life, especially in contrast to God's eternal nature. It comes after a lament about God's anger and the swift passing of days, highlighting how quickly life moves from its beginning to its end. The verse itself reflects on the typical lifespan, noting that even exceptional longevity is filled with toil, and that life passes away with startling speed.
This psalm, attributed to Moses, is a meditation on the brevity of human life, especially in contrast to God's eternal nature. It comes after a lament about God's anger and the swift passing of days, highlighting how quickly life moves from its beginning to its end. The verse itself reflects on the typical lifespan, noting that even exceptional longevity is filled with toil, and that life passes away with startling speed.
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Life feels short, right? This psalm uses a powerful image to describe how quickly our time is truly over.
The Rapid Passage of Time:
The psalm continues, 'they are soon gone, and we fly away.' This isn't a slow fade; it's a sudden departure. The Hebrew word translated as 'fly away' is particularly evocative. It suggests a rapid, almost instantaneous movement, like a bird taking flight. Our years don't just pass; they hasten towards their end.
A Shared Human Experience:
This rapid flight is presented as a universal experience. It’s not just about the seventy or eighty years; it’s about how short even those years feel in retrospect. The brevity and speed of life are emphasized, highlighting our transient nature. We are here one moment, and gone the next, like a bird that swiftly leaves the branch.
c. 1360 BC
Moses' Prayer and Song (Psalm 90)
In the shadow of the census and the impending end of the wilderness journey, Moses reflects on the brevity of human life and the frailty of Israel, composing Psalm 90.
c. 1350 BC
Death of Moses
Moses, who lived to 120 years, dies just before Israel enters the Promised Land. His death marks the end of an era, though his lifespan was an exception to the shortened years lamented in his psalm.
"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." — The Hebrew word used here for "fly away" paints a picture not of a gentle drifting, but of a swift, almost urgent departure, like a bird suddenly taking flight. This emphasizes that even the "strengt…
