Thursday 20 October 2022

A prayer of Moses the man of God. 1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3 You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” 4 A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. 5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning: 6 In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered. 7 We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. 8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9 All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. 10 Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. 11 If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. 12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 13 Relent, LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. 16 May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. 17 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.

“Teach us to number our days.” The prayer in verse 12 that God would “teach” His people is powerful, it reflects the central theme of this psalm, awareness of our human condition and weakness and the importance of responding properly to that realisation. We, the people of God, should return to right relationship with Him, the sort of relationship indicated in verse 1, where God is the sure dwelling place of His people.  The psalmist prays that God would teach the people awareness of their limits in order that they might “gain” a heart of wisdom.  Simply put, we reap a heart of godly wisdom when we approach life with prayerful awareness of our weakness and complete dependence on God.

Father, may we live in relationship with You that fulfills Your design for this life.

Written by Ps. Richard Botta