14 day plan

Joy in God … no Matter What?

Day 14 of 14

NIV

Psalms 90:16-17

16May your deeds be shown to your servants,

your splendor to their children.

17May 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.

Reflection: In the earlier verses of this Psalm, Moses identified our fragility. In today’s passage, we see Moses asking God to provide for us, despite our fragility. He doesn’t limit this request to himself. He asks that all people know God’s provision. He asks for all who serve God, that is, his children; that they will see and know God’s majesty. God’s provision for Moses was the escape from Egypt, as well as the provision in the desert and the promise of land for his people, in the future. This was a hint of God’s permanent provision for us — our Saviour, Jesus.

What does ‘establish the work of our handsmean?  Moses wants God to see his people’s labour as not in vain. Our effort is only worthwhile when we acknowledge God as both our Creator and our Judge, and when we live in his grace and love. As it says in Isaiah 66:2 (ESV): “All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”  

How long do you expect to live? How many years are left? How do you plan to live these?

Prayer:  Father, thank you for creating us in your image. Thank you for your love. Thank you that you are our dwelling place, always. Please help us have a healthy view of our life and help us to be prepared to die well. Please help us to seek all our joy in you, each day, and all day. Remind us to look to you for our joy and thank you for it.

Psalms 90:1-17

Book IV

Psalms 90–106

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

1Lord, you have been our dwelling place

throughout all generations.

2Before the mountains were born

or you brought forth the whole world,

from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3You turn people back to dust,

saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”

4A thousand years in your sight

are like a day that has just gone by,

or like a watch in the night.

5Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—

they are like the new grass of the morning:

6In the morning it springs up new,

but by evening it is dry and withered.

7We are consumed by your anger

and terrified by your indignation.

8You have set our iniquities before you,

our secret sins in the light of your presence.

9All our days pass away under your wrath;

we finish our years with a moan.

10Our 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.

11If only we knew the power of your anger!

Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.

12Teach us to number our days,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

13Relent, Lord! How long will it be?

Have compassion on your servants.

14Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,

that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

15Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

for as many years as we have seen trouble.

16May your deeds be shown to your servants,

your splendor to their children.

17May 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.