The Psalmist recognized the brevity of life, but most of us don't.
""As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years…for soon it is gone and we fly away"" Psalm 90:10.
We act as if there are many days to accomplish the work set before us, when in reality there are but few. It is important that each day be maximized. The surest path to their usefulness is prayer so that God is acknowledged and depended upon every moment of the common day.
Notice the 4 things the Psalmist prayed for (a great daily prayer for us!)
1. For wisdom to remember the brevity of life.
""So teach us to number our days that we may present to You a heart of wisdom."" (vs. 12)
2. For God's morning lovingkindness so we can know gladness and joy every single day all the way to the end. That our souls would be satisfied with God (which would keep us from chasing other gods!)
""O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."" (vs. 14)
3. For the ability to see God's work and a vision of God's majesty to fill the minds and hearts of our children.
""Let Your work appear to Your servants and Your majesty to their children."" (vs. 16)
4. For God's favor, for all of life is nothing without His grace! His favor is what will make our work established and meaningful and blessed. ""Confirm"" means to ""give permanence to."" Therefore the Psalmist is praying that the work that He does will be established by God in such ways that it will last beyond his life.
"" Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands!"" (vs. 17)
A Daily Prayer
Precious Father, help me to realize today that my life is brief and to deal with every moment with wisdom. Satisfy my heart this morning with the fullness and completeness of Your lovingkindness. Help me understand and experience that you are not only loving, but You are also KIND. Fill me with such joy that I will sing before others and so that my soul will not go in silent search for other lovers.
Help me to see Your work all around me today. Open my mind to see You in everything. And give my children the eyes to see Your majesty surrounding them. And Lord, place Your favor and grace upon us all today. So work in and through us that we will build that which You initiate and may it last beyond us for Your glory!
