Psalm 90-91

New Century Version

God Is Eternal, and We Are Not

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90 Lord, you have been our home
    since the beginning.
²Before the mountains were born
    and before you created the earth and the world,
you are God.
    You have always been, and you will always be.

³You turn people back into dust.
    You say, “Go back into dust, human beings.”
⁴To you, a thousand years
    is like the passing of a day,
    or like a few hours in the night.
⁵While people sleep, you take their lives.
    They are like grass that grows up in the morning.
⁶In the morning they are fresh and new,
    but by evening they dry up and die.

⁷We are destroyed by your anger;
    we are terrified by your hot anger.
⁸You have put the evil we have done right in front of you;
    you clearly see our secret sins.
⁹All our days pass while you are angry.
    Our years end with a moan.
¹⁰Our lifetime is seventy years
    or, if we are strong, eighty years.
But the years are full of hard work and pain.
    They pass quickly, and then we are gone.

¹¹Who knows the full power of your anger?
Your anger is as great as our fear of you should be.
¹²Teach us how short our lives really are
so that we may be wise.

¹³Lord, how long before you return
    and show kindness to your servants?
¹⁴Fill us with your love every morning.
    Then we will sing and rejoice all our lives.
¹⁵We have seen years of trouble.
    Now give us as much joy as you gave us sorrow.
¹⁶Show your servants the wonderful things you do;
    show your greatness to their children.
¹⁷Lord our God, treat us well.
    Give us success in what we do;
    yes, give us success in what we do.

Safe in the Lord

91 Those who go to God Most High for safety
will be protected by the Almighty.
²I will say to the Lord, “You are my place of safety and protection.
You are my God and I trust you.”

³God will save you from hidden traps
    and from deadly diseases.
⁴He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you can hide.
    His truth will be your shield and protection.
⁵You will not fear any danger by night
    or an arrow during the day.
⁶You will not be afraid of diseases that come in the dark
    or sickness that strikes at noon.
⁷At your side one thousand people may die,
    or even ten thousand right beside you,
    but you will not be hurt.
⁸You will only watch
    and see the wicked punished.

⁹The Lord is your protection;
    you have made God Most High your place of safety.
¹⁰Nothing bad will happen to you;
    no disaster will come to your home.
¹¹He has put his angels in charge of you
    to watch over you wherever you go.
¹²They will catch you in their hands
    so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.
¹³You will walk on lions and cobras;
    you will step on strong lions and snakes.

¹⁴The Lord says, “Whoever loves me, I will save.
    I will protect those who know me.
¹⁵They will call to me, and I will answer them.
    I will be with them in trouble;
    I will rescue them and honor them.
¹⁶I will give them a long, full life,
    and they will see how I can save.”