Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 90:10

10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten ; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow : for it is soon cut off , and we flee away .

Either 1. of the Israelites in the desart, who being twenty years old, and some thirty, some forty, some fifty years old when they came out of Egypt, and dying in the Wilderness, as all of that age did, Numb. 14. 29. a great number of them doubtless died in their seventieth or eightieth year, as is here implyed. Or rather 2. of the generality of mankind, and the Israelites no less than others, in that and all following Ages, some few persons excepted, amongst whom were Moses and Caleb and Ioshua, who lived an hundred and twenty years; which is therefore noted of them as a thing singular and extraordinary. This sence suits best with the following words, and with the scope of Moses; which was to represent the vain and transitory condition of men in this life, and how much mankind was now sunk below their Ancestors, who commonly lived many hundreds of years, and that the Israelites, though Gods peculiar people and endowed with many priviledges, yet in this were no better than other men. All which may be considered either as an argument to move God to pity and spare them, or as a motive to awaken and quicken the Israelites to serious preparations for death, by comparing this with v. 12.

Which time the antient Heathen Writers also fixed as the usual space of mens lives.

i. e. By the strength of their natural constitution; which is the true and common cause of longer life.

Their strongest and most vigorous old Age. Or, their excellency, or pride; that old age which is their glory, and in which men do commonly glory.

Filled with troubles and griefs from the infirmities of age, the approach of Death, and the contingences of humane life.

Either our age, or our strength.

It doth not now decline by many degrees and slow steps, as it doth in our young and flourishing age, but decayeth apace and suddenly fleeth away.

We do not now go to Death, as we do from our very Birth, nor run, but flee swiftly away like a Bird, as this word signifies.

Marginal references: Heb. as for the days of our years in them are seventy years.