Psalm 90:10 says, “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty…” The inference is that if nothing happens to us, and if we strive for righteousness, we shouldn’t ordinarily expect to live on earth past 80.
Now we know there are people who live past 80. Comedian Don Rickles passed away when he was in his 90’s. Some may say, tongue-in-cheek perhaps, that if he lived past 80 then it shows he wasn’t judged to be righteous. Many of us know, however, that he didn’t mean the insults he parried against his audience, and those whom he insulted knew that too. Still, that leaves the question, existentially, that if people like Rickles lived past 80, was it because they weren’t righteous in some way? After all, it says plain and simple in Psalm 90:10 as to what our lifespan on earth should be, and it seems that unless the Bible says otherwise, any actions we undertake, and any state of existence as described in the Bible are forms of righteousness.
So, if people who have strived for righteousness live past 80, should they believe that all is lost, and they should stop being of use to anyone, and just sit and sulk? To a lot of those who have lived past 90 and who see themselves as God-fearing, the question may be ridiculous. But as we live according to the Bible, whether we want to or not it behooves us to be mindful of what the Bible says as we go about our lives. Perhaps our age may be a worry that should not be considered, but many of us are prone to doubts in our lives, questioning the things we do in terms of right and wrong, and sometimes wavering between the two since we are not perfect. Some of us who find ourselves in a depressed state will question everything that may affect our lives. Some of us may endure a Hamlet moment from time to time, questioning our own existence. So, it may help to put to bed any worries that some people may have concerning passages like Psalm 90:10.
Is Psalm 90:10, like other passages in the Bible, an absolute directive in that there is no choice in the matter? Inasmuch as 2 Timothy 3:16 says that ALL Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, we must consider the whole Bible. So,
The Bible says that God created the heavens and the earth, and he is eternal, so He is above everything including the Bible He breathed out, just as we are above our own breaths. Considering that then, James 1:17 says “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” So, regardless of Psalm 90:10, it is conceivable that anyone who lives past 80 has done so because God has gifted them. In a sense, His gifts supersede what the Bible says we can expect.
How do people know, when they live past 80, that they have received a gift from God, and it’s not because thy have lived lives counter to what the Bible expects of them? The Bible tells us to test everything to determine if we are on a righteous path. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says to “…test everything; hold fast what is good.” Hang on to goodness, no matter how strong the winds of evil which blow by, threatening to carry you along with it.
No matter our age, to paraphrase Don Rickles, anyone who doesn’t spend their lives striving for righteousness is a hockey puck! (And if I lived for anything but righteousness, I would expect to be judged as a hockey puck too…)
Now we know there are people who live past 80. Comedian Don Rickles passed away when he was in his 90’s. Some may say, tongue-in-cheek perhaps, that if he lived past 80 then it shows he wasn’t judged to be righteous. Many of us know, however, that he didn’t mean the insults he parried against his audience, and those whom he insulted knew that too. Still, that leaves the question, existentially, that if people like Rickles lived past 80, was it because they weren’t righteous in some way? After all, it says plain and simple in Psalm 90:10 as to what our lifespan on earth should be, and it seems that unless the Bible says otherwise, any actions we undertake, and any state of existence as described in the Bible are forms of righteousness.
So, if people who have strived for righteousness live past 80, should they believe that all is lost, and they should stop being of use to anyone, and just sit and sulk? To a lot of those who have lived past 90 and who see themselves as God-fearing, the question may be ridiculous. But as we live according to the Bible, whether we want to or not it behooves us to be mindful of what the Bible says as we go about our lives. Perhaps our age may be a worry that should not be considered, but many of us are prone to doubts in our lives, questioning the things we do in terms of right and wrong, and sometimes wavering between the two since we are not perfect. Some of us who find ourselves in a depressed state will question everything that may affect our lives. Some of us may endure a Hamlet moment from time to time, questioning our own existence. So, it may help to put to bed any worries that some people may have concerning passages like Psalm 90:10.
Is Psalm 90:10, like other passages in the Bible, an absolute directive in that there is no choice in the matter? Inasmuch as 2 Timothy 3:16 says that ALL Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, we must consider the whole Bible. So,
The Bible says that God created the heavens and the earth, and he is eternal, so He is above everything including the Bible He breathed out, just as we are above our own breaths. Considering that then, James 1:17 says “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” So, regardless of Psalm 90:10, it is conceivable that anyone who lives past 80 has done so because God has gifted them. In a sense, His gifts supersede what the Bible says we can expect.
How do people know, when they live past 80, that they have received a gift from God, and it’s not because thy have lived lives counter to what the Bible expects of them? The Bible tells us to test everything to determine if we are on a righteous path. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says to “…test everything; hold fast what is good.” Hang on to goodness, no matter how strong the winds of evil which blow by, threatening to carry you along with it.
No matter our age, to paraphrase Don Rickles, anyone who doesn’t spend their lives striving for righteousness is a hockey puck! (And if I lived for anything but righteousness, I would expect to be judged as a hockey puck too…)
