Psalms 90:8

8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

Psalms 90:8 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 90:8

Thou hast set our sins before thee
The cause of all trouble, consumption, and death; these are before the Lord, as the evidence, according to which he as a righteous Judge proceeds; this is opposed to the pardon of sin, which is expressed by a casting it behind his back, ( Isaiah 38:17 ) ,

our secret sins in the light of thy countenance;
the Targum and Jarchi interpret it of the sins of youth; the word is in the singular number, and may be rendered, "our secret sin" ^F6; which has led some to think of original sin, which is hidden from, and not taken notice of by, the greatest part of the world, though it is the source and spring of all sin. It is not unusual for the singular to be put for the plural, and may intend all such sins as are secretly committed, and not known by other men, and such as are unobserved by men themselves; as the evil thoughts of their hearts, the foolish words of their mouths, and many infirmities of life, that are not taken notice of as sins: these are all known to God, and will be brought to light and into judgment by him, and will be set in "the light of his countenance"; which denotes not a gracious forgiveness of them, but his clear and distinct knowledge of them, and what a full evidence they give against men, to their condemnation and death; and intends not only a future, but the present view the Lord has of them, and his dealings with men in life, and at death, according to them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (wnmle) "mostrum absconditum", Montanus; "sive occultum", Vatablus, Muis, Michaelis.

Psalms 90:8 In-Context

6 In the morning it blossoms and grows up; in the evening it is cut down and withers.

7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath we are troubled.

8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

9 For all our days decline because of thy wrath; we end our years according to the word.

10 The days of our years are seventy, and of the most valiant eighty years, yet their strength is labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.