This is the last in a series by Dan Wooldridge that considers the lessons that Moses passed on to a younger generation on how to live wisely.
Interestingly, Moses’ final words in Psalm 90 are not addressed to the young generation gathered before him preparing to enter the Promised Land, but are a prayer addressed to God. Moses began the psalm by pointing out the reality of God as fact #1 for wise living. He now ends the psalm by demonstrating that fact.
A Prayer for God’s Favor – Psalm 90:13-17 (New International Version)
Relent, O LORD! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.
Moses reminds us that life on earth is to be lived out in vital and dynamic relationship with God. How life is experienced depends on the quality of our relationship with God. His contemporaries had died in the wilderness because chose to live guided by the counsel of their own fears and abilities. They chose neither to see the true character of God nor to see the need to trust Him.
What does a relationship of trust toward God look like? Moses’ five requests give us a glimpse.
First, it is a relationship that depends on the compassion of God. As he had stated earlier, our lives are fragile, imperfect, and often sinful. If any of us “got what we deserved” in terms of perfect justice, none of us would survive. Therefore, Moses asks for God to deal with him and this generation with compassion.
Second, satisfaction, fulfillment, and joy are the result of experiencing the unfailing love of God. This is true in human relationships when we experience the loyal and unfailing love of others. This is infinitely truer when we understand and experience this from God.
Third, the relationship will be characterized by gladness. Certainly, there will be tough days. We are not immune to the tragedies of this world, but God has a way of balancing these with days of gladness.
Fourth, God will work on our behalf. When we trust Him, live in the light of His compassion, experience the fulfillment and joy of His unfailing love, we will see His hand at work in our lives on behalf of our lives. And those who stand close to us, especially our families, will see the splendor, the glory, the beauty of God reflected through our lives. The question is,
"What do our families and those closest to us see?"
And fifth, Moses asks for the favor (sometimes translated grace or beauty) of God upon the work that we do. Imagine the gracious and powerful hand of God on your shoulder, helping you in your work. And it is this favor that makes the work lasting and meaningful, rather than fleeting and futile. Our work can count for something and have lasting value. All our work at home or in the marketplace, small or great, can count if God's favor rests upon it. Do we count on God's favor to rest on our daily work?
Our short fragile lives, our numbered days can be a rich daily experience of the compassion of God, of satisfaction and joy, of seeing God at work on our behalf, of creating work that is meaningful and lasting, and of lives lived so that others see the excellence and beauty of God.
Is this the experience of your daily life at home and work? Does this prayer describe the spirit of how you go about your business? How would it affect the way you work and lead if this prayer was your daily experience?
Make this your daily prayer. And may the favor of God rest on you.
I am deeply indebted to a man I've never met, but only heard on a cassette tape over 30 years ago who taught me to love and appreciate this psalm and its lessons. A eternal thank you to Dr. Bruce Waltke.
