A Reflection on Psalm 90 in light of CCC’s 85th Anniversary

Teach us to number our days

that we may get a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90.12).

This past Sunday at Christ Community Church was historic – we celebrated 85 years of God’s kindness in preserving our little lampstand. Not only was it historic, but it was beautiful – the smiles, the hugs, the laughs, breaking bread together – all testifying to a culture of family by God’s grace. Our celebration was historic, it was beautiful, and it was a blast! Kids were running around, footballs and frisbees patrolled the airspace, brothers and sisters enjoyed smokey pork and sweet desserts with smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts. Thanks be to God!

This monumental occasion drew my heart and mind to the 90th chapter of the Psalter. The songbook of Israel is filled with psalms penned by King David, King Solomon, and the Sons of Korah. Psalm 90 stands out because it was authored by Israel’s first prophet – Moses. The superscript (which is inspired Scripture) states: A Prayer of Moses, the man of god.

Moses begins his song by praising the Lord, who has been our dwelling place in all generations. Some manuscripts and the Septuagint (LXX) say the Lord has been our refuge…. This was true for ancient Israel, it has been true for the church catholic for two millennia, and it has been true for CCC for 85 years. We have met in multiple buildings, but the Lord has been our dwelling place. Through many dangers, toils, and snares, He has been our refuge.

From here Moses chronicles a poetic Holy Spirit-inspired commentary on the beginning of redemptive history. In verse 2 Moses evokes the creation story from Genesis 1-2 declaring from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Verse 3 then parallels Adam’s fall from Genesis 3 – God return[s] man to dust – the wages of sin is death (Rom 6.23). Verse 4 calls back to the genealogy of Genesis 5 containing the longest life ever recorded – Methuselah, who lived 969 years (Gen 5.27). In contrast a thousand years are but as yesterday in God’s sight.

Verse 5 moves forward to Noah’s flood (Gen 6-9) – our days are swept away as the world was in the flood; like a dream; like grass renewed in the morning only to wither in the evening. We die – people and churches – because of God’s wrath against sin (vss. 7-9). The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty (vs 10); for most of human history the average human lifespan. It’s striking, isn’t it? Our 85th anniversary as a church mirrors the lifespan of a strong human. Some churches don’t even last 85 years!

This is purely God’s grace, not because of anything we have done or deserve. Our response must be the prayer we’re given in verse 12: so teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. To number our days means to order our lives under the good news of Jesus. God is our creator and we have sinned against Him. In His grace He sent His Son Jesus to live, die, and resurrect to satisfy us…with [His] steadfast love (חֶ֫סֶד; hesed, i.e. covenant faithfulness), that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Satisfy is the same Hebrew word used in Genesis 25.8 of Father Abraham who died “full of years.”

To live a satisfied life means to know whose we are – not only because He created us, but also because He redeemed us through the blood of His Son. It means to know our sins are forgiven and that we have received eternal life through faith in Christ. Churches aren’t granted eternal life – there isn’t a single local church still meeting since Pentecost – but the church catholic has eternal life, and the individuals who make up CCC do too! May the Lord satisfy us; may He make us glad for as many days as we have seen evil (vs. 15). May His glorious power be shown to our children (vs. 16).

Only God knows how many years CCC will exist. We thank Him for 85 years of gospel ministry. And we pray, as Moses did some 4,000 years ago:

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and establish the work of our hands upon us;

yes, establish the work of our hands!