Counting What Truly Counts

Scripture Focus: Psalm 90:12 “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

Psalm 90 is written against the vast backdrop of God’s eternity. Mountains rise and fall, generations come and go, yet God remains. In that setting, Psalm 90:12 emerges not as a lament, but as a prayer shaped by clarity. Moses doesn’t ask for more time. He asks for better use of the time already given. In a world that prizes longevity, productivity, and constant motion, this prayer quietly reorients the soul.

“To number our days” is not about counting birthdays or watching the clock. It’s about learning to live with awareness. Moses is asking God to teach something that doesn’t come naturally to us: that life is finite, fragile, and therefore meaningful. When time feels endless, we procrastinate obedience, delay repentance, and assume we can return to God “later.” Numbering our days gently removes the illusion of endless tomorrows and presses us into faithful todays.

This prayer is not grim; it’s grounding. God never asks us to live in fear of running out of time, but in reverence for how precious each day is. Awareness of life’s limits sharpens our priorities. Petty arguments lose their appeal. Distractions lose their shine. What remains is a clearer sense of what matters most—loving God, serving others, and walking humbly before Him.

The second half of the verse reveals the purpose of this awareness: “that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” In Scripture, wisdom is not merely knowing what’s right; it’s choosing it consistently. The heart represents the center of our will—our motives, desires, and commitments. Applying the heart to wisdom means actively aligning our lives with God’s truth, not merely admiring it from a distance.

Notice the order: first, awareness of time; then, application of the heart. Without wisdom, awareness can become anxiety. Without awareness, wisdom can become abstract. God brings the two together. He teaches us to value our days so that we live them well. Wisdom is not rushed living; it’s intentional living. It knows when to act and when to wait, when to speak and when to remain silent, when to press forward and when to rest.

There’s humility embedded in the opening words: “So teach us.” Moses acknowledges that wisdom is not automatic with age or experience. Time alone doesn’t make us wise—God does. Left to ourselves, we often invest heavily in what fades and lightly in what lasts. God’s instruction recalibrates our vision, helping us weigh choices through the lens of eternity rather than urgency.

There’s also hope here. Numbering our days does not shrink life; it deepens it. When we stop assuming time is unlimited, we begin to treat moments as gifts. A conversation becomes sacred. An act of obedience becomes timely. A quiet morning with God becomes essential rather than optional. Even ordinary days take on meaning when lived before Him.

Psalm 90:12 ultimately calls us to live awake—not frantic, not fearful, but attentive. Each day becomes an offering, placed into God’s hands with the simple prayer: Teach me how to live this well.

Reflection Questions:

1. In what ways do you tend to live as though time is guaranteed rather than entrusted?
2. How might your daily choices change if you viewed each day as a sacred gift from God?
3. What distractions most often pull your heart away from wisdom and toward urgency?
4. Where is God inviting you to apply wisdom, not just understand it, in this season of life?

Prayer Prompt:
Lord, teach me to number my days with humility and hope. Help me to see time as You see it—precious, purposeful, and entrusted to my care. Shape my heart with Your wisdom so that my choices reflect what truly matters. Guide me to live each day intentionally, faithfully, and in step with You. Amen.

If this devotional stirred your heart to follow Christ more closely and to walk with purpose, take the next step in His Word—“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalms 119:11). Keep your eyes on Jesus and let Scripture dwell richly in you day by day.

👉 Sign up for the free FAST Crash Course in Bible Memorization: http://fast.st/cc/21419