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BOOK IV

(Psalms 90–106)

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90 Lord, you have been our help,
    generation after generation.
Before the mountains were born,
    before you birthed the earth and the inhabited world—
    from forever in the past
    to forever in the future, you are God.

You return people to dust,
    saying, “Go back, humans,”
    because in your perspective a thousand years
    are like yesterday past,
    like a short period during the night watch.
You sweep humans away like a dream,
    like grass that is renewed in the morning.
True, in the morning it thrives, renewed,
    but come evening it withers, all dried up.
Yes, we are wasting away because of your wrath;
    we are paralyzed with fear on account of your rage.
You put our sins right in front of you,
    set our hidden faults in the light from your face.
Yes, all our days slip away because of your fury;
    we finish up our years with a whimper.
10 We live at best to be seventy years old,
    maybe eighty, if we’re strong.
But their duration brings hard work and trouble
    because they go by so quickly.
    And then we fly off.
11 Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
    The honor that is due you corresponds to your wrath.
12 Teach us to number our days
    so we can have a wise heart.

13 Come back to us, Lord!
    Please, quick!
    Have some compassion for your servants!
14 Fill us full every morning with your faithful love
    so we can rejoice and celebrate our whole life long.
15 Make us happy for the same amount of time that you afflicted us—
    for the same number of years that we saw only trouble.
16 Let your acts be seen by your servants;
    let your glory be seen by their children.
17 Let the kindness of the Lord our God be over us.
    Make the work of our hands last.
    Make the work of our hands last!

Book 4

(Psalms 90-106)

The prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90 My Lord, you have been our home forever and ever.
You were God before the mountains were born,
    before the earth and the world were made.
    You have always been and will always be God!

You bring people into this world,
    and you change them into dust again.
To you, a thousand years is like yesterday,
    like a few hours in the night.
Our life is like a dream that ends when morning comes.
We are like grass
    that grows and looks so fresh in the morning,
    but in the evening it is dry and dying.
Your anger could destroy us.
    Your anger frightens us!
You know about all our sins.
    You see every one of our secret sins.
Your anger can end our life.
    Our lives fade away like a whisper.
10 We live about 70 years
    or, if we are strong, 80 years.
But most of them are filled with hard work and pain.
    Then, suddenly, the years are gone, and we fly away.
11 No one really knows the full power of your anger,
    but our fear and respect for you is as great as your anger.
12 Teach us how short our lives are
    so that we can become wise.
13 Lord, come back to us.
    Be kind to your servants.
14 Fill us with your love every morning.
    Let us be happy and enjoy our lives.
15 For years you have made life hard for us and have given us many troubles.
    Now make us happy for just as long.
16 Let your servants see the wonderful things you can do for them.
    And let their children see your glory.
17 Lord, our God, be kind to us.
    Make everything we do successful.
    Yes, make it all successful.