Psalm 90:9-10
9 For all our days have declined in Your fury;
We have finished our years like a sigh.
10 As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, eighty years,
Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow;
For soon it is gone and we fly away.

This psalm is attributed to the writing of Moses. He reflects on the eternity of God and brief and finite life we live. The 70-80 years he speaks about was the lifespan of the Israelites in the desert. God had told Moses that those who entered the desert would not see the promised land. Within the 40 years of wandering only those born in the desert would enter the land He had set aside for them. Moses lifespan was the exception for he lived to be 120 years old. And prior to that man lived for even much longer. Adam, the first man lived for 900 years, but as succeeding generations passed, the lifespan continued to decrease to about the lifespan of Moses. Then when they entered the desert it dropped even further to 70-80 years.

Was this God’s way of telling man that the broken world would continue to take its toll on us? Moses prays about the brevity of life and how much of it is wasted by us. Seventy or eighty years is plenty of time for us to live a life of piety, but it is also plenty of time to waste it on the pride of life. Then soon it is gone and we fly away.

Moses’ prayer was that the people would see this and change their ways. It is a call to all of us to spend our days on what is good and perfect. Jesus only spent 30+ years on this earth before returning to heaven. Look what he accomplished.

Jesus, what a blessing you have given to us. The days of our lives can be fruitful or fruitless. Holy Spirit, bring forth a bounty through us that gives glory to our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Always praying for the glory of God,