Psalm 90:12 Text
King James Version (KJV)
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
World English Bible (WEB)
So teach us to count our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
What Psalm 90:12 Means
This is a prayer asking God to teach us to count our days so we can gain a wise heart. The idea is that life is short and that remembering this changes how we live. Numbering days does not mean dwelling on death, but seeing time as limited and valuable, so that we choose what matters. The word for wisdom here is practical skill in living, not just knowledge. The request is also humble, since it asks God to teach this, implying that people tend to forget their limits. The KJV says apply our hearts unto wisdom, where the WEB says gain a heart of wisdom, which reads slightly more like a gift received than a task performed.
Context of Psalm 90:12
The title calls this a prayer of Moses, which would make it the oldest psalm, though some scholars think it was written later in his style. It begins the fourth book of the Psalms. The psalm contrasts God's eternal nature with human frailty, mentions God's anger over sin, and asks for compassion and for the work of their hands to be established. To read the whole book, see random verse from Psalms.
How to Apply Psalm 90:12
Pick one thing this week that you would regret putting off, such as a call, a conversation, or rest, and do it. Counting days is not about panic. It is about letting the shortness of life sort your priorities, so that you spend time on people and purposes that last.
Related Verses
- Psalm 39:4 – LORD , make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am .
- James 4:14 – Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
- Ephesians 5:15-16 – See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
- Proverbs 9:10 – The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Looking for more verses on this theme? Browse Bible Verses About Wisdom, each with a short note on its context.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does teach us to number our days mean?
It is a request to understand that our time is limited so we use it wisely. The psalmist asks God to give a realistic sense of life's brevity, which leads to humility, better priorities, and a wiser way of living.
Who wrote Psalm 90?
The title attributes it to Moses, the man of God. Some scholars accept that, and others think it was written by a later author in a similar spirit. If Moses wrote it, it is among the oldest psalms, and either way it is a reflective prayer about mortality.
Want a different verse? Try the Bible verse randomizer or browse all popular Bible verses.