<人生一張紙>
出世一張紙，求生一輩子；入學一張紙，求分一輩子
畢業一張紙，工作一輩子；結婚一張紙，養家一輩子
看病一張紙，服藥一輩子；悼辭一張紙，了結一輩子
一輩子的事，展望時是那麼漫長，回憶時卻又如此短暫。人生常在短暫與永恆之間掙扎惆悵。神的僕人摩西在其晚年寫下的詩篇九十篇，論盡短暫浮生。
短暫浮生，罪和死吞滅生命
詩人先頌讚神是永恆主v.1。人內在的永恆感使人慨嘆人生的短速，時間快如夜裏的一更v.4，悄悄溜走；如大水沖去，沒法停留v.5；如睡一覺v.5，夢醒無痕；如草榮枯v.6，生命凋零。雖然生老病死是宿命，人類自古以來就想留住青春，延長壽數或渴望永生。中國有秦始皇渴求長生不老，差人去蓬萊之島，求仙訪藥；埃及人用藥保屍製成木乃衣，讓死者靈魂有所依，等待再生。事實上，自人類始祖悖逆神權而自主，就是犯罪和死亡的開始。人的生命就被罪和死吞滅v.7-10。離棄神，人變得自我中心。內心充滿自義、自私、自誇、自欺、自恃，就生出驕傲、貪婪、偏見、妒忌、縱慾、邪情及種種不義的惡行來。神的震怒發出v.9，使人落在驚惶v.7、嘆息v.9、愁苦v.10和空虛v.10之中。
千古保障，神是歸依和歸宿：
神是我們的居所v.1，是暴風雨中的避難所。神是自有永有的主宰v.1，是創造主v.2。神是靈魂的歸宿v.3，是公義的主v.8。英國詩人華滋根據詩篇九十篇，改寫成<千古保障>一首詩詞，提醒人唯有神才是永不改變，是人的歸依和歸宿。
<千古保障>
1. 上帝是人千古保障，是人將來希望，是人居所，抵禦風雨，是人永久家鄉。
2. 山川尚未發現之時，星球未結之先，遠自太初，便有神在，永在無窮盡年。
3. 在神眼中億千萬年，恍若人間隔宿，恍若初聞子夜鐘聲，轉瞬東方日出。
4. 時間正似大江流水，浪淘萬象眾生，轉瞬飛逝，恍若夢境，朝來不留餘痕。
以神為樂，敬畏神，榮耀神
神是配受敬畏的v.11，我們祈求祂指教我們智慧渡日v.12讓我們飽享祂的慈愛v.14我們當以神為樂，渴求祂的榮耀v.14、17。按著<西敏斯特大要理問答>的第一問和答案，「人生最重要，最崇高的目的是榮耀神，完全以祂為樂。直到永遠。」（羅馬書11:36；哥林多前書10:31）這是盡享上帝同在之樂。（詩篇73:24-28；約翰福音17:21-23）神學家奧古斯丁的「懺悔錄」中的一段話，大要是：神啊！是祢為自己創造了我們，我們惟有在祢裏面才能得享安息。求祢把祢自己賜給我。如果沒有你，縱使你把所造的一切都賜給我，我的心仍不滿足。
「求你使我們早早飽得你的慈愛，好叫我們一生一世歡呼喜樂。求你照著你使我們受苦的日子，和我們遭難的年歲，叫我們喜樂。」(詩篇90:14-15)
「因為萬有都是本於他，倚靠他，歸於他。願榮耀歸給他，直到永遠。阿們！」 (羅馬書11:36)
Life, a Piece of Paper
By Minister Chai
Birth certificate: a piece of paper, Seeking life in a lifetime;
School admission: a piece of paper, Seeking scores in a lifetime;
Graduation diploma: a piece of paper; Working in a lifetime;
Marriage certificate: a piece of paper, Breadwinner in a lifetime;
Seeing doctor: a piece of paper, Medication in a lifetime;
Obituary: a piece of paper, End of life!
Things of a lifetime, A long time to look forward, A short time to look back. Life is a dilemma Between temporality and eternity. Moses, the servant of God In the book Psalms 90 Explained the temporality of life.
Life Swallowed by Sin and Death
The psalmist started his psalm by praising God as the Eternal One:
V.1 Man's intrinsic sense of eternity is shadowed by the temporality of life.
V.4 Time flies like a watch in the night.
V.5 Time sneaks away like water goes into sea that doesn't stay or like good night sleep.
V.6 Time has no traces like waking up from sleep or is like grass that dries up quickly.
V.7-10 Life withers. Since ancient times, people had been seeking ways to sustain youthfulness and long life even though sickness and death is a harsh fact! In ancient China, Emperor Qin Shihuang looked for long-life medicines and Egyptians preserved mummies to maintain a "home" for their spirits to return. In fact, man's rebellion against God is the beginning of sin and death. Man's life gets swallowed up by sin and death!
V.9 Away from God, inwardly man has turned into selfishness, self-righteousness, self-deceit, self-pride, self-reliance. Outwardly man is showing arrogance, greed, partiality, jealousy, promiscuity, and all kinds of unrighteousness which causes God's to be angry! V.7, 9, 10 Man is terrified, moaning, sorrowing and passing away in vain.
God, Our Dwelling throughput Generations
V.1"Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations." He is our shelter during storms. He is the Lord from eternity to eternity.
V.2 God is the Creator.
V.3 He is the dwelling of our spirits.
V.8 He is the Lord of righteousness.
An English song writer, William Croft has written hymn called "Oh God Our Help" according to Psalm 90 which reminds us that God is reliable because He doesn't change:
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
Fear God Who's My Joy, My Glory
V.11 " Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due."
V.12 "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
V.14 "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love...."
V.14, 17 God is our joy. We yearn for His glory.
(Romans 11:36; 1Corithians10:31)
According to WESTMINSTER SHORTER CATECHISM, The utmost goal of life is to glorify God and see Him as our joy forever.
(Psalms 73:24-28; John 17:21-23)
This is the joy of being with God.
In the book, Confessions of St Augustine, the theologian wrote: Oh God! You have created us for your purpose. We have peace only in You. Lord I plead to have You in my life. Without You, my heart would not be satisfied even if You were to give me everything You have created!"
"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble." Psalm 90:14-15
"For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." Romans 11:36