Expert: Janko - 8/14/2006

Question
Can you please tell me PSALMS 90:1-2, FROM time indefinitely, reffering to whom?

Thanks, Luis
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Followup To

Question -
What does this mean to you, FROM TIME INDEFINITELY?

R, Luis

Answer -
You seem to already have all the answers to all your own questions,but here is my answer anyhow:
TIME INDEFINITE

The Hebrew word `oh·lam´ carries the thought of indefinite or uncertain time. Lexicographer Gesenius defines it as meaning “hidden time, i.e. obscure and long, of which the beginning or end is uncertain or indefinite.” (A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, translated by E. Robinson, 1836, p. 746) Accordingly, expressions such as “time indefinite” (Ps 25:6), “indefinitely lasting” (Hab 3:6), “of old” (Ge 6:4), “a long time ago,” “of long ago” (Jos 24:2; Pr 22:28; 23:10), and “long-lasting” (Ec 12:5) appropriately convey the thought of the original-language term.

The word `oh·lam´ is at times associated with that which is everlasting. (1Ki 2:45, ftn) The prophet Isaiah wrote: “Jehovah, the Creator of the extremities of the earth, is a God to time indefinite.” (Isa 40:28) Jehovah is “from time indefinite to time indefinite.” (Ps 90:2) Since Jehovah is immortal and does not die, he will continue to be God for all eternity. (Hab 1:12; 1Ti 1:17) However, the Hebrew expression `oh·lam´ does not in itself mean “forever.” It often refers to things that have an end, but the period of such things’ existence can be said to be ‘to time indefinite’ because the time of their end is not then specified. For example, the ‘indefinitely lasting’ Law covenant came to an end with Jesus’ death and the bringing in of a new covenant. (Ex 31:16, 17; Ro 10:4; Ga 5:18; Col 2:16, 17; Heb 9:15) And the ‘indefinitely lasting’ Aaronic priesthood similarly came to an end.—Ex 40:15; Heb 7:11-24; 10:1.

Another Hebrew term, `adh, denotes unlimited future time, everlastingness, or eternity. (1Ch 28:9; Ps 19:9; Isa 9:6; 45:17; Hab 3:6) At times, as at Psalm 45:6, the words `oh·lam´ and `adh appear together and may be rendered “age-during, and for ever” (Yg), “age-abiding and beyond” (Ro), and “time indefinite, even forever” (NW). Concerning the earth, the psalmist declared: “It will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever.”—Ps 104:5.

The Hebrew term ne´tsach can also denote everlastingness. Among the ways it may be rendered are “forever” (Job 4:20; 14:20), “perpetually” (Isa 57:16), and “always” (Ps 9:18). Sometimes ne´tsach and `oh·lam´ occur in parallel (Ps 49:8, 9), or the terms ne´tsach and `adh appear together. (Am 1:11) All three words are found at Psalm 9:5, 6: “You have rebuked nations . . . Their name you have wiped out to time indefinite [le`oh·lam´], even forever [wa·`edh´]. O you enemy, your desolations have come to their perpetual [la·ne´tsach] finish.”

In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the word ai·on´ may denote a time period of indefinite or indeterminate length, a period of remote, but not endless, time. For example, at Luke 1:70 and Acts 3:21 ai·on´ can be rendered “of old,” “of old time,” “in ancient times.” (RS, NW, AT) Often, however, the context suggests that ai·on´ is to be understood to refer to a time period of undefined length because of such period being endless in duration. (Lu 1:55; Joh 6:50, 51; 12:34; 1Jo 2:17) Similarly, the adjective ai·o´ni·os (drawn from ai·on´) can, as is evident from the context, signify both “long lasting” (Ro 16:25; 2Ti 1:9; Tit 1:2) and “everlasting.” (Mt 18:8; 19:16, 29) Another Greek adjective, a·i´di·os, specifically means “eternal” or “everlasting.”—Ro 1:20; Jude 6

Answer
Yes it refers to the only true God Jehovah who is from time indefinite to time indefinite,the Grand Creator!To add a note if you look at Psalms 110:1 it is Jehovah God talking about his Son to sit at his right hand.
• Why does the New World Translation render Psalm 90:2 so differently from other translations?—B. B., United States.

According to the Revised Standard Version Psalm 90:2 reads: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.” The New World Translation of this verse reads: “Before the mountains themselves were born, or you proceeded to bring forth as with labor pains the earth and the productive land, even from time indefinite to time indefinite you are God.”

The Hebrew word for the first of these expressions is the passive voice of yalad and, according to Hebrew lexicographers, it means to be begotten, born, and relates to the ordinary birth process. Yalad is applied to both the father’s and the mother’s part, as can be seen from Job 14:1 (“Man, born of woman”) and Psalm 2:7 (“I have become your father”).

The Hebrew word for the second verb in Psalm 90:2 is entirely another verb and is used in connection with the birth process to call attention to the pain and travail thereof. It is the Hebrew word hhil, which, according to Hebrew authorities, means basically, “to have labor pains.” The form of this verb in the Hebrew text here has a sort of reflexive force in which the performer of the act suffers the accompanying sensations. In other words, he experiences the labor pains or childbirth pains. That is why the word is also defined as “to bring forth (in pain).”—Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible.

This same word is found at Deuteronomy 32:18, which reads: “The Rock who fathered you, you proceeded to forget, and you began to leave God out of memory, the One bringing you forth with childbirth pains,” without doubt referring to the miracles Jehovah wrought in Egypt in connection with the deliverance of the nation of Israel. Also, we find this Hebrew term at Isaiah 51:2, where we read: “Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who gradually brought you forth with childbirth pains.” Also at Proverbs 25:23: “The wind from the north brings forth as with labor pains a downpour.”

From the foregoing references we can see the use of these words particularly in poetic writing, and we see that they are full of meaning, expressive indeed. Modern translations hide the force of these expressions by their free renderings.

Regarding the use of these terms in Psalm 90:2, it might be said that, judged by human standards, the producing of this earth and the productive land with all its complicated mechanisms and chemistry would certainly call for a great deal of effort, painful effort, as measured even by scientists today. The psalmist here speaks from a purely human standpoint and thereby shows both an active imagination and great respect for the amount of work involved for Jehovah to create these things; with what expenditure of time, of course, we do not know.