If anyone could write this psalm, it was Moses. He spent the first 40 years of his life living in luxury as the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He spent the next 40 years as a fugitive in the desert herding sheep, getting married, and raising children. He spent the last 40 years herding the Israelites around in the desert between Egypt and the Promised Land never being able to enjoy that land himself.
What was the problem? The Israelite people kept rebelling against God. Moses could not understand why the people were so obstinate about following the Lord after He had shown them His power in Egypt. Why couldn’t they endure a few seeming hardships to get to the land God had promised to Abraham? Why did they complain so much when God tested them to see and enlarge their faith?
Moses had been reluctant to return to Egypt to rescue his people. But when he obeyed and saw the power of God, he, though often exasperated with the Israelites, did not turn his back on the assignment God gave to him. Rather, he prostrated himself before God and pled for the people with powerful prayers.
After Moses had led the people from Egypt to Mt. Sinai, he went on the mountain to talk with God. After Moses had been on the mountain for many days, the people became restless and asked Aaron to make them a god to worship. God told Moses to leave Him alone so He could destroy Israel and make Moses into a great nation. But Moses pleaded with God, and God turned His anger away. (Exodus 32)
In this psalm, Moses reminded God of His holiness and strength and of the weakness of people. He acknowledged they were sinful, and God had poured out His wrath on them. In verses 12-17, he asked God for several things: teach us to realize the brevity of life; take pity on us; satisfy us each morning with Your unfailing love; give us gladness; let us see Your work again; and show Your approval by making our efforts successful.
What do you think would happen in our churches, communities, and the nations of the world if God’s people would pray like that? Great awakenings have started because God’s people took unrelenting steps to pray as Moses did. May we follow his example.