Mazmur 90:12

90:12 So teach us to consider our mortality, ¹ 

so that we might live wisely. ² 

Mazmur 94:12

94:12 How blessed is the one ³  whom you instruct, O Lord,

the one whom you teach from your law,

Mazmur 119:71

119:71 It was good for me to suffer,

so that I might learn your statutes.

[90:12]  ¹ tn Heb “to number our days,” that is, to be aware of how few they really are.

[90:12]  ² tn Heb “and we will bring a heart of wisdom.” After the imperative of the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form with the conjunction indicates purpose/result. The Hebrew term “heart” here refers to the center of one’s thoughts, volition, and moral character.

[94:12]  ³ tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” The generic masculine pronoun is used in v. 2.