“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
Apply (Hebrew: bow, bo) abide, attain, bring (forth), illustrate, call, carry, enter, have indeedWow, what a request! Imagine how easy it would be to respond if someone asked you, “what do you think is God’s will?” especially if God has granted you the understanding that request provides.
The promise of this verse makes being “needy” a good thing, especially since we have a loving Father who longs to impart wisdom to us. The product of His wisdom is the following: We will be able to discern what He wants to accomplish in and through each of us.
Have you ever been asked, or have asked yourself, this question: “What do you think is God’s will for you in this _______________________?”
Too often it is difficult to actually have a specific and precise answer. I’m imagining that same question is what prompted David’s heart to make this request of God in this Psalm.
Discerning the will of God is a common human dilemma, especially in light of God informing us in Isaiah 55:8 that His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are our ways His ways. But that does not mean that God does not want His thoughts to become our thoughts, or His ways to become our ways!
As a means of aligning our ways and thinking with God’s, let’s do a word study of Psalm 90:12.
Teach (Hebrew: yada, yaw-dah’) to know, to ascertain by seeing, instruction, advise, to comprehend, have knowledge, have skill about
Number (Hebrew: manah, maw-naw’) to weigh out, to enumerate, prepare, number
Days (Hebrew: yowm, yowm) a day, sunrise to sunset
Hearts (Hebrew: lebeb, lay-bawb) the heart (the most interior organ) used also like the Hebrew word, leb, referring to the center, innermost part of a person
Wisdom (Hebrew: chokmah, khok-maw’) wisdom, skillfulness, act wisley
So this is how I would paraphrase this verse:
God, instruct and advise me, so I can ascertain and comprehend what I see, so I can have the skill to weigh daily, from sunrise to sunset, each event, situation and circumstance from your perspective. Then I will be able to bring forth and illustrate concepts that are in my heart, which You have placed within my innermost part that will enable me to show Your wisdom; that which will show the skillfulness necessary to act wisely.
Of course, that request is more easily accomplished if the one making this plea will immerse himself in Scripture. We will need to comply with II Timothy 2:15 that says, “study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Now there’s where you can find a world of information!