Psalms 90:6

In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

Psalms 90:6 (KJV)

Context

Psalm 90 is a prayer of Moses, the man of God. In this verse, Moses uses the image of grass to show how short and passing human life is. The morning and the evening mark the whole span of a day, just as they mark the whole span of a life.

Meaning

Morning stands for birth, youth, and the beginning of life’s journey. Evening stands for old age, decline, and the approach of death. The grass flourishes and grows up in the morning, full of life and beauty. But by evening it is cut down and withers. This is not a slow fading; it is a sudden end. The same grass that looked fresh and strong is gone before the day closes.

The comparison to a plant is simple and powerful. In youth, a person grows in body and mind, and may gain riches and honor. Yet all of this is fragile. Like grass, human life has a fixed and short season. The verse does not say that life is worthless; it says that life is brief. That brevity should shape how we live.

Biblical connections

The same picture appears in Isaiah 40:6-8 and Psalm 103:15-16, where people are compared to grass and flowers that fade. Those passages also contrast human weakness with the enduring word of God. Here in Psalm 90, the contrast is with God himself, who is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:2). Humans pass away, but God does not. This is why Moses prays for wisdom to number his days (Psalm 90:12).

Application

Because life is like grass, we should not trust in our own strength or pride ourselves on what we have. Our days are in God’s hands. We are called to use our time wisely, seeking his guidance and living with purpose. The shortness of life is not a reason for despair; it is a reason to turn to the eternal God.

Reflection

This verse invites us to consider our own mortality. Do we live as though we will be here forever? Or do we remember that our time is limited? The grass withers, but God remains. Our hope is not in the length of our days, but in the God who is from everlasting to everlasting. He offers meaning and hope even in the face of life’s transience.