“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
(Psalm 90:2)
In this psalm Moses declares the eternality of God in order to position the soul for proper reverence, trust, and waiting.[1] That is to say, God has not just existed for a very long time. In fact, His being is not measured by time at all; He subsists in eternity itself. From everlasting to everlasting, He is God. Before the mountains rose, before the earth took shape, before the world had form God already was, and had been, forever.
This truth surpasses what human language can express because God does not move from moment to moment as creatures do. He does not gain or lose. He does not progress or decline. He simply is.
Joined to this eternity is the immensity of His essence and His omnipresence. God fills heaven and earth. The highest created heavens cannot contain Him. He is present with all things and distant from none, yet He also gloriously subsists where no creature is. God is where heaven and earth are not, no less than where they are. Place does not limit Him. Space does not define Him. And imagination cannot reach Him.
He is present where words are spoken, where thoughts are formed, where sins are committed, and where prayers are whispered. Which means that we may always say, “God is in this place,” even if we’re not aware of it.
The holiness of this eternal and immense God further urges the soul toward reverent submission. He is called a consuming fire. Isaiah, seeing the Lord in His holiness, cried out that he was undone. Joshua used the terror of the Lord to still the people. Were it not for the mediatory work of Christ, His holiness would consume the whole creation now lying under sin and the curse.
The greatness of God is also displayed in His mighty works. Creation itself stands as a monument of His power. The earth with its breadth, the seas with their depths, the heavens with their lights, all speak. The flood, the fire upon Sodom, the plagues of Egypt, the drowning of Pharaoh, the fall of armies in a single night all declare that God reigns … and are written that the soul might learn reverence and waiting.
This God is our God. His throne is established. His majesty surrounds us, even if we do not realize it. But soon the veils will be removed, and this glory will appear in full, either unto everlasting joy or everlasting terror.
Contemplations:
- God existed before all that overwhelms me. My circumstances often feel unmanageable. But this psalm reminds me that before mountains, earth, and world existed, God already was. My troubles are not everlasting; God is. This truth strengthens my faith and helps me wait on the Lord for the answers and the peace I need.
- My life is small, but God is not. I am reminded how brief and fragile my days are. Measured against eternity, my lifespan is scarcely a moment. This humbles me and teaches me not to demand answers or outcomes on my schedule. Waiting becomes reasonable when God is eternal.
- God is near, even when unseen. I am tempted to think of God as distant, especially in times of difficulty. And yet He fills heaven and earth. He is present where I am, near, aware, and sovereign. This draws me to reverence and honesty before Him.
- Holiness teaches me silence. When I consider the purity and majesty of God, my arguments fade. I see how little I understand and how unfit I am to judge His ways. Worship replaces complaint and waiting replaces striving.
Prayer (Adoration)
Eternal God, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. Before the mountains were brought forth, before the earth took shape, before the world had form or name, You were. You did not come into being. You did not begin. You simply are. I adore You for this unsearchable glory, for a being that no measure can contain and no language can fully express.
I praise You for Your eternity. My days pass quickly. My strength fades. My understanding changes. But You remain the same. Time does not govern You. Ages do not alter You. You were God before the world existed, and You will be God when the world is no more. This calms my heart and teaches me where true stability lies.
I adore You for Your immensity. You fill heaven and earth. You are present with all Your works and yet contained by none of them. You are near even when I forget You are near. You are present where I stand, where I think, where I struggle. There is no corner of life where You are absent. This truth humbles me and comforts me at the same time.
I praise You for Your holiness. You are pure beyond comparison, exposing my sin and silencing my pride. Yet I adore You that this same holiness does not drive me away, because You have given Jesus Christ to stand between Your consuming fire and my guilty soul.
I adore You for Your majesty and rule. You reign. Your throne is established. Kingdoms rise and fall beneath Your will. You govern all things wisely and righteously. When I am restless and impatient, teach me to remember before whom I stand.
Receive my praise, O everlasting God. Teach my heart to bow willingly, to trust deeply, and to wait quietly before You, knowing that nothing becomes me more than reverent adoration of who You are.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Psalm 90:2:
Job 15:7; Psalm 93:2; Jer. 10:10; Gen. 1:1
[1] John Owen, The Works of John Owen, ed. William H. Goold, vol. 6 (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, n.d.), 622–625.
