What can we learn from the prayer of Moses (Psalm 90)?

Answer

Psalm 90 marks the beginning of Book Four of Psalms. Psalm 90 is the oldest psalm, written by Moses around the year 1440 BC. It is titled “From Everlasting to Everlasting” and is described as “A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.”

What can we learn from Moses’ prayer? Firstly, Moses highlights the eternal nature of God. Verses 1–2 state, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place / throughout all generations. / Before the mountains were born / or you brought forth the whole world, / from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

Secondly, Moses discusses the fragile nature of humanity in verses 3–6. Verse 5 reads, “Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— / they are like the new grass of the morning.” Our time on earth is brief.

Thirdly, Moses underscores humanity’s sinful nature and his own shortcomings before a perfect God. Verses 7–8 acknowledge, “We are consumed by your anger / and terrified by your indignation. / You have set our iniquities before you, / our secret sins in the light of your presence.”

Fourthly, Moses emphasizes the brevity of human life compared to God’s eternal nature in verses 9–12. Moses states, “Our days may come to seventy years, / or eighty, if our strength endures; / yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, / for they quickly pass, and we fly away” «The days of our years are threescore years and ten; And if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, Yet is their strength labour and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. », (Psalm 90:10). This verse also conveys the concept of an existence after death. We do not simply “end”; instead, we “fly” to another place. Verse 12 imparts the lesson we should learn from the shortness of earthly life: “Teach us to number our days, / that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Fifthly, Moses prays for God’s

Grace is bestowed upon His people in verses 13–17. Verse 17 concludes, “May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; / establish the work of our hands for us— / yes, establish the work of our hands.” Without God, our work amounts to nothing.

In Psalm 90, Moses focuses on God’s greatness, our human weakness, and our need for the Lord to provide grace for our daily needs. We are to seek wisdom and live each day to its fullest for the glory of God.

Of great importance is Moses’ emphasis to “number our days.” While this poetic psalm may not literally mean we are to count each day by number, it does focus on the need to live every day for maximum impact. The apostle Paul wrote, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16). God calls us to use every moment of every day to honor Him.