Today's Featured Psalm
Psalm 90

Read this Psalm

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
   in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
   or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
   from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3 You return man to dust
   and say, “Return, O children of man!”
4 For a thousand years in your sight
   are but as yesterday when it is past,
   or as a watch in the night.

5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,
   like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
   in the evening it fades and withers.

7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;
   by your wrath we are dismayed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
   our secret sins in the light of your presence.

9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;
   we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
   or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span is but toil and trouble;
   they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
   and your wrath according to the fear of you?

12 So teach us to number our days
   that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O LORD! How long?
   Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
   that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
   and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be shown to your servants,
   and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
   and establish the work of our hands upon us;
   yes, establish the work of our hands!


Scripture taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Psalm Devotional
Counting the Days

“I’m counting the days,” we say when we look forward to some great event in our near future—maybe a wedding or the birth of a child. But saying “my days are numbered” is a horse of a different color. Now we are talking about ends, not beginnings.

Such talk makes most people uncomfortable. They tend to laugh it off and change the subject. The psalmist—Moses in his old age—brings both beginnings and ends together when he says, “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90:12).

The psalm as a whole is about the shortness of our life and the wisdom of making our days count for both time and eternity. Solomon counsels us, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Prov. 27:1). One day in April 1973, my father left home for his work as usual, but before the day was done he had died of a heart attack. He was only 56.

Today is one day nearer eternity for all of us. Should this not affect how you live each day? The psalmist poses three leading questions to open up this theme.

Listen to this Psalm

Restoration album art Lord, You Have Been Our Dwelling Place (Psalm 90A)
The Book of Psalms for Worship | Restoration
Restoration album art O Teach Us How to Count Our Days (Psalm 90B)
The Book of Psalms for Worship | Restoration
Wisdom album art O Teach Us How to Count Our Days (Psalm 90B)
The Book of Psalms for Worship | Wisdom
Sing a New Song album art Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Dwelling Place (Psalm 90D)
The Book of Psalms for Singing | Sing a New Song