Psalm 90:12 (NIV)
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90 is by far the oldest one in the entire book and the only one authored (most likely) by Moses, most likely by the year 1440 B.C. In terms of the context, it lines up well with the events of Number 20: (1) the death of Moses’ sister, Miriam (2); the sin of Moses when he struck the rock in the wilderness to get water for the people, which kept him for entering the Promised Land; (3) the death of Aaron, Moses’ brother. Obviously, Moses wrote this prayer near the end of his life and in the midst of great sadness and disappointment. He had come so far, both literally and figuratively, and knew that his days on the earth were running out.
Setting aside the fascinating and spiritually pregnant context in which Psalm 90 was written, there is one theme that runs throughout its verses and demands our attention: Time. The passing of time is mentioned in words or phrases in verses 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16. Moses was, in fact, running out of time and knew that he would have no part in enjoying the goal to which he had dedicated the last 4 decades of his life to attaining. “So, who better than Moses to offer a prayer about time, or more specifically, about the discouraging reality that our human lives are all too fragile and short?” (Luther Seminary Commentary). We can live full lives, to be sure, but they cannot be complete. Our years on earth are only a prelude to eternity…a lesson that we all need to learn from.
Moses deals with two contrasting realities: The eternal nature of God and the fragile nature of humanity. For the time being, we live lives that are stuck in a time-centric reality and because of that, we can’t see over the next hill or into the next season. God, on the other hand, as C.S. Lewis says, “Lives in the unbounded now.” He existence, activities, and perspectives are not constrained or controlled by time. In Psalm 90:4, Moses used a simple yet profound analogy in describing the timelessness of God: “For a thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.” So, when we get nervous about what is to come, God is already there and still in control, and nothing that happens in the meantime changes that reality in any way. Does that give you a bit of hope? Does that bring you a little comfort? Good! That is one of the things Moses was getting at.
In terms of our fragile nature, Moses sees that as something we can turn to our advantage. “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (v. 12). That begs the age-old question: If you knew how much time you had left in this life, how would that change the way you live? This is exactly what Moses was getting at. Our lives here are temporal, but our souls live forever – Are you ready for that? God will hold us accountable for what we do with our time/lives (Rom. 14:12) – Are you seeking the Kingdom first? God places great emphasis on our relationships (Phil. 2:3) – Are we loving our neighbor well? Ourselves? God will eventually turn all of life’s messes into “an eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17) – Are we taking solace in that reality?
This devotional could go on and on…and that is Moses’ point in Psalm 90. Time is short and there is much to learn and much to do…all the while resting in God’s sovereign plan and trusting in His promises. We are stewards, but not slaves. Know God’s Word and live it out with faith, hope, and love. Lean on His goodness and trust that He will work it all out in the end…because He will.
