Psalms-90-100-by-Moshe
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1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical
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Please Note: Some
alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’
of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God), having been corrected
like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Even though there is no Author mentioned in
the Hebrew Text of Psalms 91 to 100, the question begs who wrote it. That is what
this study is all about. There is an answer by the end of this in-depth study.
Our Hebraic
Tradition:
As we will know, Psalm 90 is attributed to
Moshe Rabbeinu, then the very next Psalm 91 through Psalm
100 are best thought that they were also the writings of Moshe, because
of the similarity of the style used, and so much more.
Internal Evidence:
It becomes obvious that great similarities in
the language and style between Psalm 90 to 100 are very like Moshe’s writings
in Davarim - Deuteronomy, suggesting strongly that Moshe was indeed the
author. But let us check that out.
Moshe’s Life:
Tehillim - Psalm 91 does greatly reflect
Moshe’s life as a wanderer, further supporting his original authorship
commencing from Psalm 90!
Let us first look at Moshe’s Psalm 90 and then look the other ten chapters to Chapter 100:
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Let
us read Tehillim - Psalm Chapter 90:
1. “A Prayer
of Moses the man of אֱלֹהִים -
Elohim. יְהוָה - LORD, Thou hast been our dwelling-place in all
generations. 2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or
ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to
everlasting, Thou art אֱלֹהִים. 3. Thou
turnest man to contrition; and sayest: ‘Return, ye children of men’. 4. For
a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a
watch in the night. 5. Thou carriest them away as with a
flood; they are as a sleep; in the morning they are like grass which groweth
up. 6. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the
evening it is cut down, and withereth. 7. For we are
consumed in Thine anger, and by Thy wrath are we hurried away. 8. Thou
hast set our iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy
countenance. 9. For all our days are passed away in Thy
wrath; we bring our years to an end as a tale that is told.
10. The days of our years are threescore years and ten, or
even by reason of strength fourscore years; yet is
their pride but travail and vanity; for it is speedily gone, and we fly away. 11. Who knoweth the power of Thine anger, and Thy wrath
according to the fear that is due unto Thee? 12. So teach
us to number our days that we may get us a heart of wisdom. 13. Return,
O יְהוָה - LORD; how long? And let it repent Thee concerning Thy
servants. 14. O satisfy us in the
morning with Thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15. Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou hast
afflicted us,according to
the years wherein we have seen evil. 16. Let Thy work
appear unto Thy servants, and Thy glory upon their children. 17. And
let the graciousness of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵינוּ -
the LORD our Eloheinu be upon us; establish Thou also upon us the work of
our hands; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it”.
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Let us now look at
the Scriptural and Textual Analysis of
Psalms 90-100:
When we look strictly at the text of the Hebrew Tanakh, the authorship and grouping of these Psalms can be studied through internal linguistic evidence and structural layout.
1. The Explicit
Attribution of Psalm 90:
In the text itself, Psalm 90 is the only one
in this range that contains Moshe’s name in its opening verse.
Psalm
90:1: “A Prayer of Moses, the man of אֱלֹהִים”.
The next ten Psalms (Psalms 91 through 100) are textually anonymous. They do not contain a introductory title (superscription) naming an author. In textual analysis, this has led to two main conclusions based purely on the scriptures itself:
2. Internal
Linguistic Links to Moses’ Writings:
There without a doubt very strong vocabulary
and thematic links between these anonymous Psalms and the documented words of
Moses in the Torah (specifically the Book of Deuteronomy).
The Refuge Analogy: In Deuteronomy 33:27, Moses writes, “The eternal אֱלֹהִים is a dwelling place (ma’on)”. Psalm 90:1 echoes this immediately: “יְהוָה - LORD, You have been our dwelling place (ma’on)”. Then Psalm 91:9 continues this specific vocabulary: “You have made the Most High your dwelling place (ma’on)”.
The Wing Metaphor: In Deuteronomy 32:11, Moses describes אֱלֹהִים’s care using an eagle metaphor: “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young, He spread His wings and caught them”. This exact imagery forms the core promise of Psalm 91:4: “He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge”.
The Divine Name: The unique combination of Divine Names used by Moses in the Torah appears prominently in these sections, emphasizing the attributes of almighty ‘protection’ and ‘eternal existence’.
3. Textual Evidence
Pointing to a Later Period:
While the style and vocabulary closely mirror
Moses’ language, the internal text of two specific Psalms in this sequence
contains historical details that occur after the lifetime of Moses:
Psalm 99:6: The text states, “Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His Name”. Because the prophet Samuel lived centuries after Moses, the text itself indicates that this specific Psalm was either written during or after the era of Samuel, or it was a prophetic composition looking forward in time.
Let us look at Psalm 95:8-9: “Harden not your hearts, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers tested Me”. Here, the writer speaks of the wilderness generation as “your fathers” (ancestors), which structurally implies a narrator looking back historically at Moses’ era from a later generation.
Summary of Textual
Authorship:
Based strictly on the written scriptures,
Psalm 90 is directly penned by or attributed to Moses. Psalms 91-100 share
striking literary, poetic, and ‘thematic DNA’ with Moses’ final speeches in
Deuteronomy. However, the explicit mention of later historical figures like
Samuel within the text indicates that later Scriptural editors or prophets
compiled or finalized these songs to preserve the Mosaic style and message for
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Elohim, blessed be He, said the following through a number of our
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“The More Torah, the More Life”,
For Elohim is the One who
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