The short life of humans (Ps 90:9-90:10)

“All our days pass away under your wrath.

Our years come to an end like a sigh.

The days of our life

Are seventy years.

The days of our life

Are perhaps eighty,

If we are strong.

Even though their span is only toil,

Even though their span is only trouble,

They are soon gone.

We fly away.”

Most of our days are spent under the wrath of God. However, our days come to an end like a sigh, a mere breath. The normal life was considered 70 years old, but if you were strong, 80 years might be possible. Even during these 70-80 years your life was nothing but toil and trouble. They pass away quickly as we soon fly away.

The insignificance of humans (Ps 39:11-39:11)

“You chastise mortals

In punishment for sin.

You consume like a moth

What is dear to him.

Surely everyone is a mere breath.”

Selah

God chastises mortals for their sins. In other words, what happens to you is deserved because you have sinned. God is like a moth that consumes anything that gets close to him. In reality, everyone is really like a mere breath of God, not more significant than that. This section ends with a musical pause, a Selah.