“So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
Read Psalm 90:11-17
Counting is a fundamental aspect of mathematics—it was one of the first things we learned at school. The practical applications of this subject are legion. To stay within a prescribed budget one needs to be able to count. If anyone plans to buy a home, he must be able to calculate whether he will be able to make the payments.
Psalm 90 speaks about a mathematical problem that is not learned at school; it can only be taught by the Holy Spirit. It speaks about counting our days. If you consider this literally, at eighteen years of age you have lived more than 6500 days. However, we are not able to calculate how many days remain in our lives. You might be given another 6000 days or even more than that. We do not know. Maybe you will receive less. Today is the last day of the year, but one day it will be the last day of your life. Dying means meeting God.
What will happen then? What are you counting on?
There are two ways of calculating this: the wise way and the foolish way. The foolish always calculate in their own favour. Their motto is to get out of life what they can. They do not consider God’s will or the coming eternity. Those who are wise realize they will have to give an account of their life to their Creator. They bend their knees pleading for grace and say: O God, have mercy upon me the sinner! The wise count their days in light of the eternity. They place their hope in God. At the end of the year, the books have to balance. What method do you use to calculate this? Surely you are not miscalculating by leaving the Lord out of the picture? Those who humbly fall before Him may count on His mercy!
Thought: God the Holy Spirit teaches His people three things: First, about the one Name which is above every other. Second, about the way of life and the way of death. Third, the three necessary things we need to know that we may live and die happily – our guilt, God’s grace, and the need to live thankful lives.
Psalter 246:1,2 (based on Psalm 90) O teach Thou us to count our days And set our hearts on wisdom’s ways; Turn, Lord, to us in our distress, In pity now Thy servants bless; Let mercy’s dawn dispel our night, And all our day with joy be bright, And all our day with joy be bright. O send the day of joy and light, For long has been our sorrow’s night; Afflicted through the weary years, We wait until Thy help appears; With us and with our sons abide, In us let God be glorified, In us let God be glorified.