Written by H.B. Charles Jr. |
Thursday, May 16, 2024
Why does Moses ask God for satisfaction? “That we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” Divine satisfaction brings joy externally (“rejoice”) and internally (“be glad”). It is a life of heavenly blessing, spiritual contentment, and complete fulfillment. Unfortunately, we look for satisfaction in the wrong places. But the futile and foolish things of this world only offer temporary satisfaction. But the hand of the Lord gives satisfaction that beings rejoicing and gladness “all our days.” Whatever the day brings, the Lord can give peace that surpasses all understanding to guard your heart and mind (Philippians 4:6-7).
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. – Psalm 90:14
“How can I pray for you?” When I am asked this simple question, it is a great kindness from the Lord. Not knowing what to say, I often answer by asking that person to pray Psalm 90:12 for me: “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 90 is a prayer of Moses – the only psalm attributed to Moses. The psalm begins by declaring the eternality of God (Psalm 90:1-2). In contrast to the God who is from everlasting to everlasting, Moses then declares the brevity and frailty of human life (Psalm 90:3-11). It is not until verse 12 that the prayer of Moses makes a request. He petitions God to teach us to number our days so that our hearts may become wise.
What does Psalm 90:12 mean? There are many implications to this prayer request that we should consider. But it may be that the best way to understand verse 12 is to keep reading to verse 14: “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” In a real sense, the two verses are two different ways of saying the same thing. A wise heart is a heart that is satisfied in God.
Moses and the children of Israel learned the hard way that the years of our lives are but “toil and trouble, they are soon gone, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10). It is a waste of life to invest in things that cannot save and do not satisfy. There is a void in every life that only God can fill.