“Who understands the power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You?
So teach us to number our days,
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
~~Psalm 90:11-12~~
Having had a birthday recently, the phrase “teach us to number our days” really popped off the page to me. It got me wondering how many days I’ve been alive. Did you know there’s a website where you can put in your day of birth, and they tell you how many days you’ve been alive?! Gotta love the internet, huh? As of today, I’ve been alive for 21,946 days. But is that what God means by “number my days”? Let’s dig in and find out!
As usual, we will begin with defining the main words in Hebrew, starting in verse 11.
“Who understands the power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You?”
KNEW (yāḏa’) means to ascertain by seeing, or to know by experience and be able to distinguish. This is a participle, which denotes unbroken continuity.
POWER (ʿōz) means strength, force, security, majesty, boldness, loud, and might – and all of these to the FULL.
ANGER (ap̄) comes from a root word that means to breathe hard or to be enraged. It’s talking about the hard, rapid breathing of a person allowing feeling intense and usually openly displayed displeasure and usually of antagonism
WRATH (ʿeḇrâ) overflowing rage. This word has often been used to describe the violent action of wind or sea.
FEAR (yir’â) means moral reverence, as well as exceedingly dreadful.
NOTE: These two words (reverence/dreadful) in the definition of FEAR are two sides of the same coin. God is worthy of all reverence and respect to the nth degree, but He is also to be feared to the same extent because of the HUGENESS of what He’s capable of in His anger. It’s realizing that there can come a time when it’s as though God says, “you’ve finally pushed Me too far”.
After researching these words, the thought echoes in my mind, “is there anyone who could stand up under a continual surge of God’s wrath over sin?”. As I mulled over that thought, I headed off on a bunny trail of sorts because I began to wonder if I really understood what wrath is. The dictionary defines wrath as violent, resentful anger; rage; fury; a manifestation of anger; Divine retribution for sin.
PAUSE TO PONDER. Resentful anger. Resentful?? Really??? Can a perfect God be “resentful”? The dictionary defines “resentment” as a feeling of displeasure or indignation at some act, remark, person, etc., regarded as causing injury or insult. In light of that, I believe the answer is yes, a perfect God can be resentful. In Exodus 20:5 “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God...”. Jealous, (qanna’) in Hebrew, was only used of God, as not bearing any rival; the severe avenger of departure from Himself.
Then I began to think about the word “fury“. It’s not word we use often, so as I thought about the few times I’ve heard the word fury used, what popped into my mind was how onsite meteorologists will say of a tornado, hurricane, tsunami, etc., “the storm has unleashed its fury”… they’re trying to describe the power and the devastation of the weather event. We’ve all seen reports of the devastation weather events leave in their wake, yet that aftermath can’t compare to what would happen if God unleashed HIS fury. Who would purposefully step into the path of a tornado? That would be bone-chillingly scary, not to mention stupid. Yet we make choices contrary to God’s Word daily, and don’t give it a thought. Makes one pause and think, doesn’t it?
Ok…back on track now.
So in summary of verse 11, the Bible is saying that, to the extent of the hugeness of God’s power, so is the hugeness of His wrath; therefore, God is to be revered. He is so powerful that no one could stand up under the fullness of His fury. And to think that people today throw around God’s name so loosely, even using His precious name as a curse word. And He’s God…He’s GOD…He’s the one and only GOD. He’s to be loved, adored, and feared.
Moving on to verse 12. Let’s start off with defining the key words.
“So teach us to number our days,
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
TEACH (yāḏaʿ) to know or ascertain by seeing; observation, care, recognition; causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.
NUMBER (mānâ) to weigh out days — each 24 hour period; to chronicle perpetually
APPLY(bô’) — to go or come; bring into with the feeling of certainly. (DIC: “apply” — to bring into nearness or contact with something, put on, upon, to; to devote oneself or one’s effort to something; to be relevant, pertinent
HEARTS (lēḇāḇ) what you choose to think about/consider; the center of the feelings, the will, and the intellect
WISDOM (ḥāḵmâ)— (comes from a root word meaning: to be wise in mind, word, or act; to show yourself wise; to deal ever so wisely) skillful. (DIC: “wisdom”: understanding of what is true, right, or lasting; good judgment)
Think with me about the word “teach“. If “teach” means to ascertain by seeing, and if I can’t physically see a lot of the spiritual truths that God is teaching, then for God to teach me and for me to learn, I must abide in the spiritual realm and exercise my faith. As God instructs me with His word, and as the Spirit reveals truth so I can designate right from wrong, I must have faith that these things really are as He says they are. Faith is HUGE here. Without it, none of this matters because regardless of what God would tell us, we wouldn’t believe Him. Hmmm…isn’t that how some people live out their lives? They say with their mouths that they “believe” what the Bible says, yet what their lives tell is a different story. Oh Lord, enable me to live in such a way that my walk and my talk agree and bring glory to You.
So if we really have the faith to believe in the hugeness of God’s wrath, then we would certainly want God to teach us to number our days. But how exactly does one “number” their days? As of today, I’ve been alive for 21946 days. Is that numbering my days? hahaha Yes, but I don’t think that is what God had in mind here. According to the definitions above, if someone numbers their days they don’t merely live them, they consider HOW they live them. Each day that the Lord grants them is one that they give great consideration to, making sure they are living them to the glory of God.
The phrase “apply our hearts unto wisdom” is so key. Exercising our faith, we must proceed through each moment of each day devoting ourselves not only to knowing what God says, but also DOING what God says.
We have to be in the Word. We have to pray for enablement from the Spirit to walk according to what we learn. We have to believe that God’s Word is pertinent to our every moment of existence. God’s Word needs to be what we think about. God’s Word needs to be what spurs on our feelings. We need to know God’s Word. We need to DO God’s Word. Wisdom — knowing and doing.
I was really amazed to see how Mr. Webster defined wisdom – understanding what is true, right or lasting. It’s pretty cool how that really echoes the “whatevers” of Philippians 4:8-9 isn’t it?
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—
think about such things.
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me,
or seen in me—put it into practice.
And the God of peace will be with you.”
That really sums it up wonderfully! Because we can’t fathom the fullness of God’s wrath, we need to carefully consider how we live each day, striving to live out all that God’s Word teaches us.
Every day that you are alive,
devote yourself not only to knowing
what God says, but also DOING what He says.