Psalm 90: Perspective Matters
Perspective.
That’s what I have written, among other things, next to this Psalm in my Bible. Psalm 90 is a song, a prayer of and for perspective written by Moses. And you know what… This is a prayer we still need today, but I wonder if it is one we are praying.
We live in a world, in my opinion, lacking perspective. A world full of its own truth—whatever that may be. A world with more knowledge than ever in human history but falling apart at its seams.
I wish I could say it was only happening in the secular world, but we would all know that is a mistruth. It seems as though everywhere we look we are bombarded with Christians throwing darts at each other, failing at the most important commandment of all—to love God and love others, and walking away from God altogether—leaving a trail of confusion and hurt in their wake.
We have a generation behind us convinced that the highest aspiration in life is to gain followers and likes and shares—all the while losing its grip on reality, on the brevity and significance of this one life we have to live.
Yes, we have more freedom and knowledge (at least in the western world) than ever before, but our perspective has been lost. Our understanding of our place and our purpose has been skewed. Our willingness to hold our lives openly and loosely in our hands has waned. Our humility in letting God be God has weakened.
*Please understand I am speaking in general terms. Yes, there are exceptions, of course!
It is generally understood that Psalm 90 was likely written in the context of Numbers 20, in which Moses and the Israelites have been wandering in the wilderness for years, Miriam (Moses’ sister) has died, and Aaron’s death soon followed. God had already proclaimed that no one of the generation that witnessed His mighty miracles in Egypt would live in the land that was promised to them (except Joshua and Caleb). And now God has also judged that Moses would not lead the next generation into the land either. In short, Moses and the generation he led out of Egypt would not enter the Promised Land according to God’s judgment—because of their sins.
Keeping this context in mind, let’s take a quick look at Psalm 90.
Without digging too much, we can easily separate the Psalm into two sections: verses 1-11 and then 12-17. The first section sets the perspective, and the second section asks for the ability to see it and live according to it.
Moses begins by proclaiming the eternal nature of God and quickly contrasts it with his (our) limited nature. “From everlasting to everlasting you are God,” he says (v.2). From beginning to end and beginning to end, from the eternal past to the eternal future God is. God always has been, always is, and always will be. No one compares. No one exists as He exists. He is El Olam—the everlasting, eternal God.
We, limited human beings, “return to dust…are brought to an end…for all our days pass away” (vv.3, 7, 9). Our lives as we know them now are not everlasting. We have a limit where God does not. Moses is not complaining, whining, or even asking God why. He’s simply acknowledging this truth, setting and orienting his view on reality. God is God, and He is (we are) not.
In view of this proper perspective, Moses transitions into the asking part of the prayer. What does he ask for? What are his petitions?
“Teach us to number our days so that we may get a heart of wisdom” (v.12).
“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days (v.14).
”Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery” (v.15 NLT).
Let us once again see Your glorious power (v.16 my paraphrase).
Let Your favor and beauty shine upon us so that You will establish the work of our hands (v.17 my paraphrase).
For the sake of time and space, I just want to address the first petition. It is worth noting, however, that He’s not asking for a change of circumstances. He’s not asking God to change His mind, and he’s not pleading his case as to why they should be allowed into the Promised Land. He is asking God to help them in the midst of their troubles, to change them…not the circumstances.
Teach us to number our days
“Teach us to number our days,” he asks, “so that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Help us understand the brevity, limitedness of this life we have been given. Help us grasp just how short life is, just how precious our days are. He asks this for the sake of gaining a heart of wisdom—to be able to live as they should. To live with wisdom.
I’d venture to say that this is not something that comes naturally to any of us, numbering our days. We want to live life as though we have all the days and years we could ever want. It’s easy to spot this behavior in teenagers as they often live with abandon. But, if we are honest, we still live with blinders on when it comes to the end of our days. We don’t want to be reminded that we are mortal. We fight the signs of aging with anti-wrinkle creams and hair dye for our graying hair. (Not bad things by any means.) We focus on temporal things and material gains with little concern as to whether they truly matter in the end or not.
Help us understand just how short life is, Lord, so that we can live with wisdom. So that we can follow Your will and Your way. So that we can finally live for what truly matters. Truth is that when we feel the end is nearing, we absolutely begin living differently. Just ask anyone who has walked through the process of death with a loved one. Priorities shift. Perspectives clear. Lives change.
Moses’ prayer here is to live with this perspective ALWAYS. To live everyday life with the clarity that is often only found near the end. To live every day, every moment as though it actually matters. To live with the conviction that the small, ordinary, mundane, menial parts of life are significant.
Life isn’t something to be wished away, fiddled away, or wasted away. Life is to be lived. No matter your set of circumstances…remember Moses’ reality as he is praying these words.
*I am by no means saying that we can’t ask for God to change our circumstances. Of course, He is capable and willing, but I’m convinced that He is much more concerned about the condition of our hearts. That’s what Moses is addressing.
As we look out into the world and as we look out into our days and years ahead, may this be our prayer—even in the midst of said world that would prefer not to be reminded of its numbered days. May we, first, set our gaze and perspective on our eternal God, who is, was, and always will be. And then, and only then, may we be willing to be taught by our eternal God to number our days so that we can live as He would have us to live.
Teach us to number our days, Lord. Help us to live with wisdom as we endeavor to live with proper perspective.
I’ll leave you with this:
What would change in our personal lives if we began living with this clarity of perspective? Would we love better, more deeply? Would we see people in a new way? Would we slow down and appreciate the moments for what they are? Would we spend less time on our phones? Would we spend more time in prayer and reading our Bible, getting to know our God more intimately?
What would change in the Church if we began living this way? We would love better, more deeply. People would be drawn toward us because of the light and love of Christ in us. We would be a place of safety for the broken and hurting. We would stop bickering over inconsequential preferences. We would be the Church we are meant to be—the bride of Christ. The world would never be the same if the Church truly got a hold of this, if we got a hold of this.
Perspective matters. If we lose it, we lose.
Teach us, Lord. Help us, Lord.
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