At the end of October, when the changing leaves reach their colorful peak, my husband and I hike the steep trails at Ledges State Park here in Iowa. From the top of the sandstone cliffs (ledges), we admire the autumn view–God’s woodland showcase in shades of red, orange, yellow, and brown.
Gradually through November, the leaves make their descent and begin to rustle underfoot. Soon, the branches will be bare and the snowflakes will fly. Autumn is full of visual changes, and more than any other season, it reminds me life is short.
Recently, I looked up some Bible verses about time. This one caught my attention:
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 NIV
Teach us to number our days…
“Teach us to number our days” is a prayer for increased awareness about the brevity of life. It is not a mathematical count of how many days we have left to live, but rather a request for help in using our time wisely.
…that we may gain a heart of wisdom
Understanding life’s short nature is important because many of the decisions we make now have lasting consequences. God provides wisdom to help us live each day with eternity in mind.
What kind of wisdom do we gain by numbering our days? To learn more, I studied our verse (Psalm 90:12) in the context of its entire psalm (Psalm 90). Written by Moses, this psalm encourages us to seek several types of wisdom:
(1) Wisdom about God’s Eternal Nature
Psalm 90 begins by praising God’s eternal nature and comparing it with our own mortal limitations. In verse 4, Moses says, “A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.” God’s timing and ways surpass our own.
Focusing too much on our current struggles and temporary goals can easily lead to worry, frustration, and disappointment. Although giving the present situation our full attention seems more natural, let’s consider God’s perspective.
God focuses on developing our eternal character and achieving his everlasting purposes. Unlike us, he is not restricted by time or resources as he works for our good. If we search for his worthy objectives in our circumstances, then we are better able to persevere with courage and peace.
Our earthly lives are full of limitations, but God’s power is boundless, his timeline is infinite, and his purposes are everlasting.
(2) Wisdom about Sin and Forgiveness
In the next several verses of the Psalm, Moses goes on to express how nothing is hidden from God. He knows everything about us. The good and the bad. What we show and what we try to hide. “You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.” (verse 8)
Although sin is not something we like to examine within ourselves, it exists. Sin is a part of all of us. And, Moses tells us how much God despises it by saying, “Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.” (verse 11)
There are no secrets kept from God. He hates sin, but he does not hate us. The repeated message of the Bible is the enormity of his love for us. God wants us to search our hearts for sin, talk with him about it, and seek his forgiveness. Through his mercy and grace, our lives can change for the better.
God does not want sin to taint our days. Through belief and the power of the Holy Spirit, God desires to transform our character to the likeness of his son, Jesus.
(3) Wisdom about Our Purpose
Moses concludes by praying for fruitful work in the eyes of the Lord. He writes, “May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.” (verse 17)
Numbering our days encourages us to think more about our goals and using our time effectively to accomplish them. We want to succeed at the things God places on our hearts. Out of love for God, we strive to forgive and make amends, do things that matter, improve the world, and help others see his goodness.
God made us for a purpose, and he gives us the desire needed to fulfill that purpose. Certainly, our hope is to see good results from our efforts while we are here. But again, we need to keep God’s perspective in mind. Because we were made with eternal aspirations, our hearts will only be completely satisfied when we reach our heavenly destination.
If we plan our days with the objective of loving God, then he will teach us how to serve him well. We learn to trust his timing and his process for results. With God’s help, a peaceful rhythm to accomplish his work forms in us. His rhythm of work embraces rest, not stress.
Going Forward with Hearts of Wisdom
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 NIV
Did you find more meaning than you anticipated in this short Bible verse? I did. At first glance, I thought the verse read like a proverb or a motivational phrase. I thought it was simply encouragement to make the most of each day. But, as I studied the context of the entire psalm, a deeper meaning became clear.
God teaches us to be more mindful of the present by reminding us what is important in the future.
God’s Word offers infinite wisdom about his eternal nature, sin, forgiveness, and the purposes he has for us. As we enter each new day and make the choices required of us, I am praying we seek his timeless advice. Let’s strive to live in the light of eternity!
Press on in faith my friends! ~Jamie
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Gotquestions.org:
What can we learn from the prayer of Moses? (Psalm 90)
Why should we want God to teach us to number our days? (Psalm 90:12)
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Thank you for expanding upon Psalm 90:12. That verse has become my life verse as I see the years passing quickly. (I recently celebrated my 75th birthday). I want my life to count for the King and His Kingdom. My husband & I have been retired for a number of years and were active in bits & pieces of ministry, but thought there may be more. As a result of a simple prayer, we were asked to become Logistics Coordinators for the East side of our city for Operation Christmas Child under the auspices of Samaritan’s Purse. We are having the time of our lives as we fulfill our responsibilities in this ministry! We also are Project Leaders at our church…purchasing items, “rallying the congregation” and organizing the actual packing of Shoebox gifts all for the presentation of the Gospel.
However, the main reason I was searching a more complete explanation of Psalm 90:12 is we have a precious granddaughter who will be entering high school. While she is blessed to attend a Christian school, I want to do what I can do to encourage her to make the most of her high school years. We are taking her to lunch at a nice waterfront restaurant not far from us. I will share with her some crucial things “I Wish I Had Known in High School.” We have a close relationship and have invested time in her since she was born.
My mother became a believer when I was 12. (As did I) but was coping as best she could in a loveless marriage to an alcoholic. I had one set of grandparents who were not believers. It was only by God’s Grace (and the prayers of my mother) I exited my teen years with few scars and no lifelong consequences. However, I feel I wasted many precious years. I want more for her.
I have written 13 things I wish someone had shared with me in a journal along with Scripture references. After touching on each one, I will give her the journal (along with some fun colored pens) to journal experiences, thoughts and prayers as she goes through high school. Will it make a difference? Only God knows, but she surely will know she has 2 grandparents who love and pray for her daily. Psalm 90:12 will be featured as a key verse along with my husband’s life verse, Proverbs 3:5-6. Thank you for your ministry!
Thank you for writing Linda and sharing your heart for Christ. I have a friend who also coordinates the shoebox gifts and it is such a wonderful project to be involved with. I’m so glad you enjoyed this post on Psalm 90:12. Your granddaughter will surely be blessed by your time, wisdom, and journal gift at your lunch together and through the years to come. Saying a prayer for her and over the way God is working for good in all your lives. Many blessings to you!