“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”Psalm 90:12
Solomon tells us how important wisdom is. Throughout the book of Proverbs there are constant admonitions to “seek wisdom”. “How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.” (Proverbs 16:16) James gives us the same advice in the New Testament. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
There is much instruction in Scripture on acquiring wisdom which we
know comes from God. “Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts” (Psalm 119:98–100).
In Psalm 90 we are given a different insight into wisdom. Here we one of the believer’s motivations to gain wisdom. Psalm 90 was written by Moses around 1440 BC which makes it the first recorded psalm. Moses was a man who loved
God, walked with God and talked to Him face to face. The Psalm inscription tells us Moses was a the man of God. He lived 120 years yet his life ended like every man’s since Adam to now, except for two – he died.
It is interesting that in Psalm 90 Moses meditates on the brevity of life. He thinks of his eternal existence with God and then of the limited time he has on this earth. “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years.” Then Moses makes an amazing statement. “For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Moses links man’s time on earth with God’s wrath (displeasing God) and with numbering our days that we may get wisdom. At the end of the Psalm Moses petitions God to “establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.” In other words he asks God to make him fruitful to do His work and please to Him with the years He gives him – a short almost
insignificant time that has the potential to matter for all eternity.
Teach us The word “teach” is first used in Genesis 3 where we are told to ”know” the difference between good and evil. Moses knows if this life is to be a success one must learn from God what is good and wise in God’s eyes and then to focus the time we have on those valuable activities.
Number our days We are to number (treasure) our days as Abraham was to treasure his descendants. Each day is a gift given by God to do
something wise, something valuable, something that will last for all eternity.
Get The word means apply. We may know something is true but if we do not apply it, its value is not realized. This is to happen each day, every day.
Heart The heart is the source of what we love, honor and value. It can love high value or it can love junk food.
Of wisdom Wisdom takes us back to the fear of God. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” Wisdom starts when this happens.
What can we learn? Hebrews 11 gives us the step by step process Moses went through to apply this verse in his life. “By faith Moses,
when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of
God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt;
for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who
is invisible.” Moses looked at the treasures of this world and weighed them against the treasures of God for eternity. He used the days God gave him to do God’s will. He did not fear loss in this life and he did not fear men. Instead he asked God to show him the difference between good and evil and then to use that wisdom to do good each day. It is interesting that after all his great victories for God he writes to tell us to number our days – we don’t know how many days God will give us but we do know we can use this one to bring Him glory. Now that’s really wise!