Lamentation of a Law-Giver: The Prayer of Moses

By Dave Blake

What do Moses, Job and Solomon have in common? Beside their wisdom and faith, they had very little to say, if anything, about life after death.

Moses is revered across the major world religions. Some think of him as a law-give, a courageous leader, a theologian or a deliverer, but more than anything else, he is known as one who is always communicating with God. That is why discussing the prayer of Moses requires a bit of contextualizing. The question most likely to be asked would be, "Which of his prayers?" Here, Moses is treated as a poet, whose poem is a prayer, over-laid with dark moments. The lessons learned from it, however, are of inestimable value to all believers and curious seekers.

Many of the questions we have asked and would have like to ask, have found their way in some of the themes discussed. Maybe you have contemplated the nature of God, or whether God has emotions. What about death, does it terrify you? Can a person die before their time? Is there Grace in the Old Testament or is it just a New Testament concept? There is just so much to learn.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tellwell Talent
• Release date: May 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9781773706559

Dave Blake

Dave Blake is an Ordained Minister with the Church of God, obtained a Masters of Religious Education from Liberty University and Masters or Arts from Southwest Bible College and Seminary. Presently serving as Associate Pastor at Heaven Bound Church of God and the president of Word For Life Ministries.

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgement

Introduction

The Eternal God We Adore

Respect and Affection

A Home & a Refuge

Unfathomable Existence

Fate of the Finite

Man’s Limited Existence

The Infinite Perspective

Gloomy Forecast

The Human Journey

A Relatively Defined Border

It is Out of Our Hands

Finitude in The Hands of The Infinite

Face to Face With Divine Judgment

Temporal Emotions and an Infinite God

The Wrath of God

Where There is Judgment

The Power of Compassion

The Source of All Satisfaction

Blessing for Blight

The Benediction

Bibliography

Copyrights

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my son, Anthony, who was born with spina bifida. His circumstance, which is no fault of his own, helps me to reflect on the human limitations discussed in this book. I hold on to the hope that a day will come when he will be able to read and/or understand the contents of this book and appreciate the fact that some things in life are outside the scope of human comprehension. He will then understand better that humans are flawed and limited, but we serve a God who is infinite, gracious and merciful.

Acknowledgement

I am extremely grateful to Mrs. Hyacinth Baker, who has influenced my love and appreciation of literary form and content, and has laid a solid foundation of the rudiments of the English language for me. It was both her encouragement and her ability to redirect my formerly negative mindset (which was caused by what I viewed then as insurmountable weaknesses and inabilities) that pushed me through the gate of an incredible world of literary possibilities.

Thanks to my sisters: Barbara, Antoinette and Deborah, who have together played an outstanding role as motivators and encouragers during my literary journey. I appreciate Barbara and Debora’s help in reading over my work and offering corrections and helpful opinions from time-to-time.

Thanks to Elsa Blake who, over the years, has been my sounding board. She never refused to read any of my pieces, even if they didn’t go further than the trash bin. She is one of the best elementary school reading teachers, and is of inestimable help and encouragement to me.

Thanks to my close friend, Pastor Horace Wilson, who had tremendous faith in my ability when I had very little in myself. He, too, has been a great source of encouragement to me.

Introduction

The inspirations, instructions and wisdom ascertained from the pages of the book of Psalms have made it a favorite of many. This collection of poems is the expression of a few ancient sages whose life and circumstance have undoubtedly inspired their work. These writings tell the stories of trials and triumphs expressed in praise and prophecy, laughter and lamentation.

Poet and Theologian: While books of poetry or spoken verse were all but nonexistent in the cultural diet of my family, as an infant I was always enthralled with memorizing and reciting catchy limericks. My fascination with poetry grew stronger during the years of my secondary education, but as a college student it became an emotional breezeway, calming my heart and cooling my emotions. Many are fascinated with the Book of Psalms, and other such writings like Proverbs and Ecclesiastics, because of the sense of awe that strikes the reader as he or she discovers that they are a treasure trove of theistic poetry, chock full of spiritual wisdom. Immersed in the wisdom of these poetic writings, the reader is captured by many a memorable masterpiece; one such is Psalm 90. It is one of many which captured my heart and left me helplessly webbed to its content and message.

The Book of Psalms, as it is positioned in the Bible, is not just one book, but a combination of five books: Book 1, chs. 1-41; Book 2, chs. 42-72; Book 3, chs. 73-89; Book 4, chs. 90-106 and Book 5, chs. 107-150. The first psalm in Book 4 (Ps. 90) is the one selected here to be dissected and explored. Interestingly, of the one hundred and fifty poems found in this compilation, this is the only one composed by Moses. But like many books in the Bible, the traditional Mosaic authorship of this psalm is challenged. The majority of biblical scholars agree, however, that this was the work of Moses, the most ancient writer in Scripture. The intention here is not to prove the authorship of this psalm, but to agree with the traditional view that this great sage is the author. Moses is revered as a law-giver, but within the five books attributed to his authorship, there are also poetic compositions that were sung by the Israelites (Ex. 15, Deut. 32).

It was not the Mosaic authorship that pulled me into this psalm, but the theological profundity of the expression: From everlasting to everlasting you are God. It forms the very crux of his worshipful adoration found in the first two verses. As one studies this psalm, the depth of Moses’ monotheistic theology becomes apparent in the expressions of his adoration. By implication he recognized and expressed this truth about his creator: there is but one infinite God who is responsible for the creation and sustenance of all things. Nevertheless, the beauty of the adoration gave way to an existential darkness with which the writer grappled. Moses viewed God and humanity through the lens of a harsh law which obscured the light of grace and left the sinner languishing in its gloom. He understood the destructiveness of sinful rebellion in the face of an infinite deity. He understood God not as the Egyptians understood the gods they created. This God is eternal, he noted, and owes his existence to no one. In fact, this God existed before anyone or anything existed and will continue when everything ceases to exist. In comparing humanity to this infinite God, he concluded that our existence is like a short-lived shrub that is blessed with beauty in the morning and is cut down by evening. In his view, however, God was not an unreasonable dictator, and he presented him as one to whom humanity could come and ask for mercy. The condition for mercy, as he presented it, is a willingness to turn from evil. In other words, those who trust in him can obtain his pardon if they are, in truth, willing to turn from evil, show him respect and walk in obedience.

Time and Occasion: It is difficult to place a specific date to Psalm 90, but based on its content we can conclude with much certainty it was written during Moses’ journey from Egypt to Canaan. No one knows for sure at what point during this forty-years-period Moses wrote it, but it is reasonable to assume it was written during the latter years of the journey.

Not all biblical scholars believe it was written during the period of the exodus. There are those who believe it was written in the deserts of Median. They think there are aspects of the psalm which don’t fit into the timeline of the exodus.

However, there are a number of holes in this assumption. Firstly, when one considers the circumstances under which Moses left Egypt, and his new vocation and family, one would imagine he would not be predisposed to the contemplation of the concerns mentioned in this psalm while living in Midian. Secondly, the focus of Moses’ concern for the Hebrew people was not the sins of Israel, but their suffering and the oppressiveness of the system under which they were living. It was this concern that caused him to slay an Egyptian prior to his flight to Midian (Ex. 2:11-12). More importantly, why would Moses muse about the frailty of life or the anger and wrath of God if there is no evidence of an ongoing encounter with the fury of such indignation? In other words, at that point in Moses’ life he had not yet experienced the manifestation of God’s righteous indignation against Israel’s rebellion, so there would be no reason for him to pray such a dark prayer. The expressions in this poem reflect an intimate encounter with God or concerns borne from personal observation of the facts as they occurred, viz., Moses saw God at work, he saw God’s judgment on Israel and the frailty of human life as thousands died around him year after year. It is reasonable to conclude, therefore, that Moses must have composed this prayer, or, if you will: poured out this lamentation after experiencing God’s indignation against the many who died because of their rebellion.

Moses was a man handpicked by God to lead his people. What would motivate him to compose this dark and depressing prayer? The majority of those who read the Bible do not see the necessity of determining the exact time when certain scriptures were written. However, it is important because it determines context, which is necessary for accurate exegetical or inductive study. Expressions differ according to time and culture, because culture evolves and expressions, as well as practices, change over time. (For example, if one were to write about urgency in communication the expression used in the sixties would be different from the one used in the present. The writer from the sixties would talk about telegrams, but an author writing that same story today would write about fax, email or text.) There was no catalyst from Moses’ experiences in the desert of Midian for the light and darkness of this poem; he would have no reason to compose a prayer of this nature. The dawn of the exodus would certainly have inspired adoration, but would not account for the dark lamentation found here. If we postulate that this poem was written in the wilderness, we may conclude that the manifestation of God’s glorious deliverance and divine judgment motivated the writer. And so he composed this prayer in response to the manifestation of God’s ongoing retribution against the rebellion of Israel, and in the latter verses petitioned God to turn from his wrath, show the Israelites mercy and establish them in the land he promised them.

The Pursuit of Hope: The intention of this discussion, therefore, is to unpack the theological treasures stored in the writer’s adoration, venture in the existential darkness and linger long enough to open a window of grace and invite its light to shine on the taunting terror of this darkness. It is true that when the law takes a hold of sin it obscures the light of grace and leaves the sinner trapped in its gloom to languish there. The riches of this poem are not buried under the gloom of the lawgiver’s lamentation, but are clearly expressed in his opening adoration and closing expressions of contrition and intercession.

Part One

The Eternal God We Adore

Lord you have been our dwelling place

Throughout all generations

Before the mountains were born

Or you brought forth the earth and the world

From everlasting to everlasting you are God

Psalm 1:1-2

In some Bibles, Psalm 90 is captioned as: The Prayer of Moses. For most readers, this expression describes the purpose of the psalm. Yes, it is Moses’ prayer to God, but it is also a theological ode (an expression of theistic poetry). In it, the reader will notice that the prayer laments the action of an infinite God who imposes limitations on finite humans. Interestingly, however, he begins his prayer with an adoration that portrays God as Israel’s covering who existed before creation. It tells the reader that the poet had great respect and reverence for his God, even if from the perspective of the finite; the human condition is viewed as something to be lamented. The analogy and choice of words used to express the adoration reveals an interesting picture of the author and his theology.

Respect and Affection

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. was a great fighter. He was born on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. He mastered the art of boxing and was revered as a great champion because of his many successes in the ring. With spiritual and political guidance and mentorship from Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad, he was converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali in 1964. Subsequent to changing his name he declared to the world: Cassius Clay is a slave name. I didn’t choose it and I don’t want it. I am Muhammad Ali, a free name—it means beloved of God, and I insist people use it when people speak to me.¹ In many religious circles people are mindful of how they are addressed because they feel that there is an inner consciousness to the connotation behind the names they are called. Similarly, there is a consciousness of the manner in which their deity is addressed. Many scoffed at the name God because when this expression is considered from the perspective of mere spoken word it can present varying connotations, which is okay in a pluralistic society, but it requires specificity in orthodoxy. We will discover in this study that the author’s theological intent that shapes his prayer was specific and deliberate.

Moses approached God with the acknowledgement of his boundless existence and eternal essence. Therefore, his adoration reflected on the nature of the God to whom he addressed his concerns. What is seen in these verses is the author’s choice of words reflecting the mood of his prayer and his reverence for God, setting the tone for his lamentation.

Choice of Word: Moses was ready to pray. He opened his mouth and the first word that escaped his lips was Adonay. Why did Moses use Adonay instead of Adon, or the Tetragrammaton (YHWH), or even Yehovah? The word Adon would not be the most appropriate expression because it was not an exclusive word, it carried a my lord connotation that is often used as a polite address for individuals in authority (Gen. 18:12; 45:8). It was also used in reference to divinity (God), but in such cases it refers to God as an authority figure with the power to reward or punish (Hos. 12:14). This view of God would limit the scope of Moses’ expression, and as such would not portray God in the manner he intended. The Tetragrammaton was out of the question. It was the name by which God revealed himself (Gen. 2:4; 12:8), so out of reverence the Jewish people would use substitutes like Yehovah. In keeping with that tradition, Moses did not address God by his revealed name. He could have used Yehovah, which is derived from YHWH by adding vowels, and generally means the existing One or the God who exists. It was by this name Nehemiah addressed God when he cried out in his introductory adoration, "O Yehovah elohiym (Lord God) of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments" (Neh. 1:5 ESV). (Hebrew expressions added.) If Moses had used this name, it would not have expressed his intent—though it was an exclusive name and would have carried with it the weight of genuine adoration—but its meaning was too vague. Without the added elohiym, it would be devoid of the weight it needed and would not have portrayed God in the way Moses intended. Adonay, on the other hand, was an exclusive term which, unlike Adon, is only used for divinity. It carries the meanings the Lord (Gen. 18:27), Lord par excellence, Lord over all (Gen. 15:2) or Sovereign Lord (Ps. 68:20). It must be kept in mind that Adonay is also a substitute for YHWH, just like Yehovah, but with a deeper and stronger meaning. Moses must have deliberately chosen this divine name to set the stage for his intended portrait of God, the infinite and eternal One, Like all other Israelites, he respectfully and reverently avoided the Tetragrammaton and used the substitute Adonay, portraying the God to whom he addressed his lament as the sovereign Lord. He wove this golden thread of divine sovereignty prominently through his prayer as he lamented the boundaries of human existence.

Our Father: There is a slight but noticeable contrast between Moses and Nehemiah’s approach to God, and the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples, and, by extension, his church. Nehemiah approached God as the existing One and Moses approached him as Lord over all, but Jesus said we are to approach him as Our Father. In the Old Testament, God is summoned by name, but in the church, he is approached with an intimate title. While the former conveyed the idea of one person trying to get the attention of another, the latter assured the worshipper that attention is already being given. No one should have to ask if there is a difference between the child who greets someone with: hello, Mr. Jones, and another who says: Hi, daddy. The former is a polite and respectful salutation made by someone outside the immediate family. The latter is an affectionate salutation directed to a parent. Jesus has introduced the church to a form of communication with God that is more intimate and personal, yet, still reverent and respectful. Not that Israel’s relationship with God is relegated to that of a stranger; rather, it is that the expressions they often used in prayer are used more out of reverent respect than intimate communication.

The church is not children by covenant (Gen. 17:1-14), but children by adoption (Gal. 4:5). John clearly stated: But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12 ESV). Paul employed the adoption language used in Ancient Rome to bring clarity to the right of sonship, or family status. He told the Roman church: For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons… (Rom. 8:15 ESV). As children, therefore, the believers are granted the privilege to approach God boldly and with confidence (Heb. 4:16). This relationship, which describes the Christian experience, distinguishes us from our religious counterparts. It provides the believer with the same kind of intimacy that Jesus enjoyed when he used the affectionate term Abba (Mark 14:36). Paul said: And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ (Gal. 4:6 ESV).

We are encouraged as believers, therefore, to approach God not as slaves who approach their master with fear, but as children who go to him with confidence. The writer of Hebrews said: Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of Grace… (Heb. 4:6 ESV). This confidence should not be expressed without reverence. A respectful child does not approach his father as Yo, pops! We are admonished to approach God with humility, to come broken into his presence. The same respect and reverence that we see in the Old Testament is required of us as children. God was turned off by the boasting of the Pharisee, but was moved by the humility of the publican (Luke 18:10-14). We are deemed children because as children we can approach our Father with confidence, but our Father is also expecting us to come to