May the favour of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17).

Growing up, the New Year was always ushered in with a reading of Psalm 90. Sometimes, just after mid-night, more often after breakfast on January 1. As a child growing up on a farm it was easy to relate to the petition of verse 17. But from an adult perspective, I realize there is more at stake then I could know as a child.

In the dead of winter, I didn't think about the sunshine and rains that would be needed for crops to grow during the warmer months. Nor did I fully understand the possibility of disease creeping into the barns infecting the pigs. Nor did I realize that fluctuations in the market impacted the price of pork and crops.

As a child, it seemed like a simple prayer. Yet, if God is sovereign then he rules over all these things. The prayer is a recognition that we are subject to many forces outside our control, many of them with evil intent. This prayer drives us to dependence on God, that he alone can establish the work that we do in this world. That without his providential care, all we do is a building on sand.

Forces at work within the economy are not always driven by people with righteous intentions. In fact, many players are downright selfish. Cheating and false accusations abound and some of it is aimed at God's people. This is a prayer that, despite the evil designs of godless people, God will cause us to prosper. When the righteous prosper, notwithstanding the intentions of bad players, these same people are shamed, and their evil schemes are exposed as malicious.

This is not a prayer that we win and others lose. That is not God's way. We prosper so that others can prosper with us. Our modern economy is based on the theory of scarcity: that there are not enough resources to go around. This model induces people to gather and horde as much as possible. As such, those with power and influence sit on heaps of resources when many others die of hunger.

Those who pray this prayer refuse to indulge in such ideas. We cannot pray these words while turning a blind eye to the needs of the poor. Read Isaiah 58 to see what God thinks of that. A prayer that God will 'establish the work of our hands' propels us to consider the community around us and how, if our work prospers, we can help others prosper as well.

As a child, I only envisioned this prayer within the context of our farm, not fully realizing what it all embraced. But now, I envision it for all of us who spend our days engaged is various activities. God does not pour down buckets of potatoes, rice and beans from heaven. No. He uses us to work in the marketplace, wanting our work to provide for many.

When you pray this prayer at the start of the week, consider how God might answer it?

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

Wherever God takes you this week, may He fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you may live carefully—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.