Psalms 90:5

Translation
King James Version
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Thou carriest them away as with a flood H2229 H8804; they are as a sleep H8142: in the morning H1242 they are like grass H2682 which groweth up H2498 H8799.
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Complete Jewish Bible
When you sweep them away, they become like sleep; by morning they are like growing grass,
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Berean Standard Bible
You whisk them away in their sleep; they are like the new grass of the morning—
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American Standard Version
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: In the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
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World English Bible Messianic
You sweep them away as they sleep. In the morning they sprout like new grass.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Thou hast ouerflowed them: they are as a sleepe: in the morning he groweth like the grasse:
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Young's Literal Translation
Thou hast inundated them, they are asleep, In the morning as grass he changeth.
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See also
Isaiah 40:6Psalms 103:15Psalms 103:16Psalms 73:20Job 22:161 Peter 1:24Job 27:20
In the KJVVerse 15,384 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Psalms 90:5, embedded within Moses' profound prayer, starkly contrasts the eternal, unchanging nature of God with the fleeting, ephemeral existence of humanity. Through vivid metaphors, the verse powerfully conveys the brevity, fragility, and transient quality of human life, likening it to an overwhelming flood, a brief sleep, and rapidly growing grass that quickly withers, thereby underscoring humanity's utter dependence on the divine in the face of its own mortality.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Psalms 90 stands as a unique and foundational lament within the Psalter, traditionally attributed to Moses. It opens by establishing God as the eternal, unchangeable dwelling place and refuge for all generations, existing "from everlasting to everlasting" throughout Psalms 90:1-2. This sets up a profound theological contrast with the subsequent verses, which lament the brevity and frailty of human life. Verse 3 introduces the theme of God turning humanity back to dust, and verse 4 emphasizes the divine perspective on time, where a thousand years are but a single day. Verse 5 then intensifies this contrast, using striking imagery to depict human life as swiftly swept away. This verse flows directly into Psalms 90:6, which completes the grass metaphor, and the subsequent verses (Psalms 90:7-11) attribute this brevity to God's wrath against sin, culminating in Moses' prayer for wisdom to number their days and apply their hearts to wisdom in Psalms 90:12.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The traditional attribution to Moses places this psalm during the Israelites' forty-year wilderness wandering, a period marked by divine judgment and widespread mortality due to their disobedience and rebellion against God (see Numbers 14:29-35). This historical backdrop profoundly shapes the psalm's somber tone and its emphasis on human mortality. For a people experiencing such widespread death, the imagery of life being swept away like a flood or withering like grass would resonate deeply. Culturally, ancient Israel understood life as a gift from God, but also as inherently fragile and dependent on His sustenance. The agricultural imagery of grass was particularly potent in a pastoral society, where the rapid growth and equally rapid wilting of vegetation under the harsh sun was a common, observable phenomenon, serving as a powerful metaphor for human existence.
  • Key Themes: The central theme of Psalms 90 is the stark contrast between divine eternity and human transience. God is portrayed as eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign over time and life, while humanity is depicted as fleeting, fragile, and subject to death. This leads to the theme of divine sovereignty over life and death, as it is God who "carriest them away." The psalm also implicitly addresses the theme of sin and divine judgment, as the brevity of life is connected to God's wrath against human transgression (e.g., Psalms 90:7-8). Ultimately, the psalm pivots to a plea for wisdom and a right perspective on life, urging the people to "number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Psalms 90:12). Verse 5 contributes significantly to the lament over human brevity, setting the stage for the psalm's ultimate call to seek God's favor and eternal perspective.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Carriest away (Hebrew, zâram', H2229): This primitive root means "to gush (as water); carry away as with a flood, pour out." In this context, it emphasizes the sudden, irresistible, and destructive force with which human life is swept away by time and death. It's not a gentle fading, but a powerful, uncontainable force that leaves little trace, highlighting the helplessness of humanity before the divine decree and God's active role in the brevity of life.
  • Sleep (Hebrew, shênâh', H8142): This noun refers to ordinary sleep or slumber. While "sleep" is a common biblical euphemism for death, here its primary emphasis is on the brevity and insubstantiality of life. Just as a dream or a night's sleep quickly passes and is forgotten upon waking, so too does human life, from an eternal perspective, seem like a fleeting, insubstantial moment, quickly vanishing.
  • Grass (Hebrew, châtsîyr', H2682): This noun refers to green grass or herbage. It is a recurring biblical motif for human fragility and impermanence, especially when contrasted with the enduring nature of God's Word or His eternal being. The imagery highlights rapid growth and initial vibrancy, only to be followed by an inevitable and swift wilting, particularly in the arid climate of the ancient Near East, powerfully illustrating the transient nature of human existence.
  • Groweth up (Hebrew, châlaph', H2498): This primitive root means "to slide by, i.e. (by implication) to hasten away, pass on, spring up, pierce or change." Here, it specifically denotes the rapid emergence and flourishing of the grass, underscoring the initial vigor and vitality of life. However, this swift "springing up" also implies a quick passing away, reinforcing the overall theme of transience.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Thou carriest them away as with a flood": This opening clause immediately establishes God's active role ("Thou carriest") in the brevity of human life. The metaphor of a "flood" (from zâram) conveys an overwhelming, irresistible, and sudden force. It suggests that human generations are swept away by the current of time and death with the same swiftness and finality as objects caught in a flash flood, leaving behind little evidence of their presence. This emphasizes divine sovereignty over life and death, and the utter helplessness of humanity.
  • "they are [as] a sleep": This simile likens human life to a brief sleep or a dream. The emphasis here is on the ephemeral, insubstantial, and quickly forgotten nature of human existence when viewed from an eternal perspective. Just as one wakes from a dream and it quickly fades from memory, so too does life pass swiftly, its events and struggles appearing transient and fleeting in the vastness of eternity. It underscores the quiet, almost unnoticed, passing of generations.
  • "in the morning [they are] like grass [which] groweth up": This third simile introduces a new image, focusing on the initial stage of life. "In the morning" signifies the beginning, the vibrancy of youth and the vigor of early life. "Like grass which groweth up" vividly portrays the rapid emergence, freshness, and initial flourishing of human life, full of promise and vitality. However, this image is deliberately incomplete within this verse, setting up the inevitable contrast in the subsequent verse (Psalms 90:6), where this same grass is "cut down, and withered" by evening, thereby completing the powerful picture of rapid growth followed by swift decay.

Literary Devices

Psalms 90:5 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound message of human transience. The most prominent are Simile and Metaphor, used interchangeably to draw striking comparisons. Life is explicitly compared "as with a flood," "as a sleep," and "like grass," creating vivid mental images for the reader. The Imagery is particularly potent, evoking the destructive power of a sudden deluge, the fleeting nature of a dream, and the ephemeral beauty of rapidly growing and withering vegetation. This sequence of images builds a cumulative effect, each reinforcing the others to emphasize the swiftness and inevitability of human mortality. Furthermore, the verse functions as part of a larger Juxtaposition that runs throughout Psalms 90, directly contrasting the eternal, unchanging nature of God (introduced in Psalms 90:1-2) with the transient, fragile existence of humanity, thereby highlighting God's sovereignty and prompting a reflection on humanity's place in His eternal plan.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Psalms 90:5 serves as a poignant reminder of humanity's finite nature in the face of an infinite God. Theologically, it underscores God's absolute sovereignty over life and death, portraying Him as the active agent who "carries them away." This brevity of life, often linked to the consequences of sin in the broader psalm, compels a sober reflection on the temporal nature of earthly existence and the eternal weight of spiritual realities. It challenges humanity to acknowledge its limitations and dependence on God, shifting focus from transient earthly pursuits to eternal values and the pursuit of divine wisdom. The verse implicitly calls for a reordering of priorities, recognizing that true security and significance are found not in human endeavors or lifespan, but in relationship with the everlasting God.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The profound imagery of Psalms 90:5, depicting life as a swiftly passing flood, a brief sleep, and fading grass, serves not to instill despair but to awaken a vital sense of spiritual urgency and purpose. Recognizing the brevity of our earthly journey should compel us to live with intentionality, prioritizing what truly matters in the light of eternity. It invites us to evaluate our pursuits, relationships, and aspirations, asking whether they align with God's eternal purposes or are merely chasing transient shadows. This verse encourages us to cultivate a heart of wisdom, to "number our days" not with anxiety, but with a sober awareness that each moment is a precious gift to be stewarded for God's glory. It should drive us to seek refuge and meaning in the eternal God, rather than in the fleeting comforts or achievements of this world, fostering a deep dependence on His grace and an eager anticipation of His everlasting kingdom.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the imagery of a "flood," "sleep," and "grass" challenge your perception of time and the value you place on earthly pursuits?
  • In what ways might a deeper awareness of life's brevity motivate you to live more purposefully for God's glory?
  • What practical steps can you take to "number your days" in a way that leads to a heart of wisdom and a focus on eternal priorities?

FAQ

Why does the Bible so often use seemingly negative or bleak imagery to describe human life?

Answer: The Bible frequently employs vivid, sometimes stark, imagery to describe human life (e.g., as grass, mist, a breath, a shadow) not to be negative for negativity's sake, but to convey profound theological truths. Firstly, it highlights the fragility and transience of human existence in contrast to the eternal, unchanging nature of God. This contrast is central to Psalms 90, where God is depicted as existing "from everlasting to everlasting" (Psalms 90:2), while humanity is fleeting. Secondly, it serves as a humbling reminder of human finitude and dependence on a sovereign God. By emphasizing our temporary nature, the Scriptures encourage humility and discourage pride or self-sufficiency. Thirdly, and most importantly, these descriptions are often a call to wisdom and spiritual urgency. If life is brief, then how we live it, and with what purpose, becomes paramount. Passages like Psalms 90:12 directly link the brevity of life to the need to "number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Far from being pessimistic, this biblical realism aims to reorient our perspective from the temporal to the eternal, driving us to seek lasting hope and meaning in God alone.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Psalms 90:5 powerfully laments the brevity of human life under the shadow of divine judgment, its ultimate fulfillment and transformation are found in Jesus Christ. The psalmist's cry for wisdom in the face of human mortality finds its answer in the one who is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Christ, being God incarnate, embodies the very eternity that the psalmist contrasts with human transience; He is "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). The "flood" that carries away humanity is conquered by Him who walked on water and calmed the storm, demonstrating His sovereignty over all creation. The "sleep" of death, which once seemed final, is now transformed by Christ's resurrection into a temporary state, for He is "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25), promising that whoever believes in Him, though he die, yet shall he live. The fading "grass" of human flesh finds its eternal hope in the imperishable seed of God's Word, which is Christ Himself, through whom believers are born anew to an inheritance that is "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading" (1 Peter 1:3-4). Thus, the bleak reality of human mortality, so vividly depicted in Psalms 90:5, is not dismissed but overcome and redefined by the eternal life and victory secured through Christ's atoning sacrifice and glorious resurrection, offering an enduring hope beyond the grave.

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Commentary on Psalms 90 verses 1–6

This psalm is entitled a prayer of Moses. Where, and in what volume, it was preserved from Moses's time till the collection of psalms was begun to be made, is uncertain; but, being divinely inspired, it was under a special protection: perhaps it was written in the book of Jasher, or the book of the wars of the Lord. Moses taught the people of Israel to pray, and put words into their mouths which they might make use of in turning to the Lord. Moses is here called the man of God, because he was a prophet, the father of prophets, and an eminent type of the great prophet. In these verses we are taught,

I. To give God the praise of his care concerning his people at all times, and concerning us in our days (Psa 90:1): Lord, thou hast been to us a habitation, or dwelling-place, a refuge or help, in all generations. Now that they had fallen under God's displeasure, and he threatened to abandon them, they plead his former kindnesses to their ancestors. Canaan was a land of pilgrimage to their fathers the patriarchs, who dwelt there in tabernacles; but then God was their habitation, and, wherever they went, they were at home, at rest, in him. Egypt had been a land of bondage to them for many years, but even then God was their refuge; and in him that poor oppressed people lived and were kept in being. Note, True believers are at home in God, and that is their comfort in reference to all the toils and tribulations they meet with in this world. In him we may repose and shelter ourselves as in our dwelling-place.

II. To give God the glory of his eternity (Psa 90:2): Before the mountains were brought forth, before he made the highest part of the dust of the world (as it is expressed, Pro 8:26), before the earth fell in travail, or, as we may read it, before thou hadst formed the earth and the world (that is, before the beginning of time) thou hadst a being; even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God, an eternal God, whose existence has neither its commencement nor its period with time, nor is measured by the successions and revolutions of it, but who art the same yesterday, today, and for ever, without beginning of days, or end of life, or change of time. Note, Against all the grievances that arise from our own mortality, and the mortality of our friends, we may take comfort from God's immortality. We are dying creatures, and all our comforts in the world are dying comforts, but God is an everliving God, and those shall find him so who have him for theirs.

III. To own God's absolute sovereign dominion over man, and his irresistible incontestable power to dispose of him as he pleases (Psa 90:3): Thou turnest man to destruction, with a word's speaking, when thou pleasest, to the destruction of the body, of the earthly house; and thou sayest, Return, you children of men. 1. When God is, by sickness or other afflictions, turning men to destruction, he does thereby call men to return unto him, that is, to repent of their sins and live a new life. This God speaketh once, yea, twice. "Return unto me, from whom you have revolted," Jer 4:1. 2. When God is threatening to turn men to destruction, to bring them to death, and they have received a sentence of death within themselves, sometimes he wonderfully restores them, and says, as the old translation reads it, Again thou sayest, Return to life and health again. For God kills and makes alive again, brings down to the grave and brings up. 3. When God turns men to destruction, it is according to the general sentence passed upon all, which is this, "Return, you children of men, one, as well as another, return to your first principles; let the body return to the earth as it was (dust to dust, Gen 3:19) and let the soul return to God who gave it," Ecc 12:7. 4. Though God turns all men to destruction, yet he will again say, Return, you children of men, at the general resurrection, when, though a man dies, yet he shall live again; and "then shalt thou call and I will answer (Job 14:14, Job 14:15); thou shalt bid me return, and I shall return." The body, the soul, shall both return and unite again.

IV. To acknowledge the infinite disproportion there is between God and men, Psa 90:4. Some of the patriarchs lived nearly a thousand years; Moses knew this very well, and had recorded it: but what is their long life to God's eternal life? "A thousand years, to us, are a long period, which we cannot expect to survive; or, if we could, it is what we could not retain the remembrance of; but it is, in thy sight, as yesterday, as one day, as that which is freshest in mind; nay, it is but as a watch of the night," which was but three hours. 1. A thousand years are nothing to God's eternity; they are less than a day, than an hour, to a thousand years. Betwixt a minute and a million of years there is some proportion, but betwixt time and eternity there is none. The long lives of the patriarchs were nothing to God, not so much as the life of a child (that is born and dies the same day) is to theirs. 2. All the events of a thousand years, whether past or to come, are as present to the Eternal Mind as what was done yesterday, or the last hour, is to us, and more so. God will say, at the great day, to those whom he has turned to destruction, Return - Arise you dead. But it might be objected against the doctrine of the resurrection that it is a long time since it was expected and it has not yet come. Let that be no difficulty, for a thousand years, in God's sight, are but as one day. Nullum tempus occurrit regi - To the king all periods are alike. To this purport these words are quoted, Pe2 3:8.

V. To see the frailty of man, and his vanity even at his best estate (Psa 90:5, Psa 90:6): look upon all the children of men, and we shall see, 1. That their life is a dying life: Thou carriest them away as with a flood, that is, they are continually gliding down the stream of time into the ocean of eternity. The flood is continually flowing, and they are carried away with it; as soon as we are born we begin to die, and every day of our life carries us so much nearer death; or we are carried away violently and irresistibly, as with a flood of waters, as with an inundation, which sweeps away all before it; or as the old world was carried away with Noah's flood. Though God promised not so to drown the world again, yet death is a constant deluge. 2. That it is a dreaming life. Men are carried away as with a flood and yet they are as a sleep; they consider not their own frailty, nor are aware how near they approach to an awful eternity. Like men asleep, they imagine great things to themselves, till death wakes them, and puts an end to the pleasing dream. Time passes unobserved by us, as it does with men asleep; and, when it is over, it is as nothing. 3. That it is a short and transient life, like that of the grass which grows up and flourishes, in the morning looks green and pleasant, but in the evening the mower cuts it down, and it immediately withers, changes its colour, and loses all its beauty. Death will change us shortly, perhaps suddenly; and it is a great change that death will make with us in a little time. Man, in his prime, does but flourish as the grass, which is weak, and low, and tender, and exposed, and which, when the winter of old age comes, will wither of itself: but he may be mown down by disease or disaster, as the grass is, in the midst of summer. All flesh is as grass.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–6. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 90
Next, the man of God, or rather the Prophetic spirit, seems to be reciting some law written in the secret wisdom of God, in which He has fixed a limit to the sinful life of mortals, and determined the troubles of mortality, in the following words: "Their years are as things which are nothing worth: in the morning let it fade away like the grass" [Psalm 90:5]. The happiness therefore of the heirs of the old covenant, which they asked of the Lord their God as a great boon, attained to receive this Law in His mysterious Providence. Moses seems to be reciting it: "Their years shall be things which are esteemed as nothing." Such are those things which are not before they have come: and when come, shall soon not be: for they do not come to be here, but to be gone. "In the morning," that is, before they come, "as a heat let it pass by;"
Augustine of HippoAD 430
SERMON 359:9
Whatever there is in the world, it fades away, it passes. As for this life, what is it but what the psalmist said: "In the morning it will pass like the grass; in the morning it will flower and pass away; in the evening it will fall, it grows hard and withers." That is what "all flesh is." That is why Christ, that is why the new life, that is why eternal hope, that is why the consolation of immortality has been promised us and in the flesh of the Lord has already been given us. It was from us, after all, that that flesh was taken that is now immortal and that has shown us what he accomplished in himself. It was on our account, you see, that he had flesh. I mean, on his own account "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Look for flesh and blood; where is it to be found in the Word? Because he wished really and truly to suffer with us and to redeem us, he clothed himself in "the form of a servant" and came down here though he was here, in order to be plainly visible though he had never been absent; and he that had made humanity wished to be made human; to be created of a mother, though he had created his mother. He mounted the cross; he died and showed us what we already knew about, being born and dying. In his humility he went through with those hoary old experiences of ours, so familiar, so well known.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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