Teach Us to Number Our Days

Teach Us to Number Our Days

Complaining angers God

But hope in God

will help you solve the problem!

Psalms 90 could be very depressive to read.

Moses had seen the anger of God for 40 years.

All of his people, his friends, and family,

who came out of Egypt died in that 40 years,

except Caleb and Joshua. Deuteronomy 1:36-38

In God’s anger, He still provided for them.

Their lives were spent in the wilderness

until another generation was given

the opportunity to believe God

and go after the promise.

Moses watched the Children of Israel

wander in the wilderness.

 From the day they spied out the promise land,

where they chose to focus on the giant challenge

rather than God’s ability to give them

 the great wealth of the land...

The murmuring went on throughout the 40 years.

Moses in Psalms 90:11 asks,

“Who knows the power of your anger?”

It is at this point,

he asked God to teach them how to number their days

so they can gain a heart of wisdom.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments,

murmuring and complaining had angered God.

Moses was a very spiritual man

and he asked God to “teach us.”

In the wilderness,

God had made provision for the people,

but Moses was not satisfied.

Moses wanted to see a reversal.

He asked God to make them glad

for as many days as they had been afflicted.

Moses cried out to learn how to receive God’s favor (grace)

in order to live productive lives.

Who knows, maybe this was the turning point.

It might not have helped those who got out of Egypt,

but did not get Egypt out of them.

They accepted their current position with murmuring

rather than embracing the challenge

that would lead to the promises of God. 

It has become clear to me,

that my days can not make room

for murmuring and complaining

but hope and confidence.

Lord, may your favor be upon our tongue and hands

to establish hope and confidence!

Scripture Reading

Psalm 90:11-17 NIV

11 Who knows the power of your anger?

For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.

12 Teach us to number our days aright,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

13 Relent, O 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 upon us;

establish the work of our hands for us —

yes, establish the work of our hands.