The Work Worth Doing Carefully
Written for Bible Journey Plan. Our editorial standards.
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
Psalm 90:17 KJV
A useful task may disappear from view soon after it is finished. A table becomes untidy again, a younger child needs help again, and tomorrow brings another assignment. Repeated work can still matter even when it does not produce something impressive to display.
Psalm 90 reminds us that our days are limited and that the Lord is eternal. We should use the time He gives with care, depending upon Him for work that has lasting value. This truth does not require filling every minute until we become exhausted. Rest and wise limits belong in faithful living too.
Do the responsibility before you as well as you reasonably can. Check the detail that affects someone else. Ask for help where your knowledge ends. Refuse the shortcut that would make the finished work look better than it really is.
The Lord sees more than the visible result. He knows the heart, the effort, and the opportunities He has entrusted to you. A short life can contain much useful service when its days are received gratefully and spent under His direction.
Keep the passage in context
Psalm 90 considers human life's brevity before the eternal God and asks Him to establish the work of His servants' hands. Our labor depends upon His favor and purpose.
Read further: Psalm 90 in the King James Bible.