Book Four

From Everlasting to Everlasting

A (A)Prayer of Moses, the (B)man of God.

90 Lord, you have been our (C)dwelling place[a]
    in all generations.
(D)Before the (E)mountains were brought forth,
    or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
    (F)from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You return man to dust
    and say, (G)“Return, (H)O children of man!”[b]
For (I)a thousand years in your sight
    are but as (J)yesterday when it is past,
    or as (K)a watch in the night.

You (L)sweep them away as with a flood; they are like (M)a dream,
    like (N)grass that is renewed in the morning:
in (O)the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
    in the evening it (P)fades and (Q)withers.

For we are brought to an end by your anger;
    by your wrath we are dismayed.
You have (R)set our iniquities before you,
    our (S)secret sins in the light of your presence.

For all our days pass away under your wrath;
    we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
    or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span[c] is but toil and trouble;
    they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
    and your wrath according to the fear of you?

12 (T)So teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 (U)Return, O Lord! (V)How long?
    Have (W)pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the (X)morning with your steadfast love,
    that we may (Y)rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have (Z)afflicted us,
    and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your (AA)work be shown to your servants,
    and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the (AB)favor[d] of the Lord our God be upon us,
    and establish (AC)the work of our hands upon us;
    yes, establish the work of our hands!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 90:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts (compare Septuagint) our refuge
  2. Psalm 90:3 Or of Adam
  3. Psalm 90:10 Or pride
  4. Psalm 90:17 Or beauty

BOOK 4

God’s Eternity and the Brevity of Human Life.

A Prayer of [a]Moses, the man of God.

90 Lord, You have been our [b](A)dwelling place in all generations.
Before (B)the mountains were born
[c]Or You (C)gave birth to the earth and the world,
Even (D)from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

You (E)turn mortals back into dust
And say, “Return, you sons of mankind.”
For (F)a thousand years in Your sight
Are like (G)yesterday when it passes by,
[d]Or like a (H)watch in the night.
You (I)have [e]swept them away like a flood, they [f](J)fall asleep;
In the morning they are like (K)grass that [g]sprouts anew.
In the morning it (L)flourishes and [h]sprouts anew;
Toward evening it (M)wilts and (N)withers away.

For we have been (O)consumed by Your anger,
And we have been terrified by Your wrath.
You have (P)placed our guilty deeds before You,
Our (Q)hidden sins in the light of Your presence.
For (R)all our days have dwindled away in Your fury;
We have finished our years like a [i]sigh.
10 As for the days of our [j]life, [k]they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, (S)eighty years,
Yet their pride is only (T)trouble and tragedy;
For it quickly passes, and we (U)disappear.
11 Who [l]understands the (V)power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the (W)fear [m]that is due You?
12 So (X)teach us to number our days,
That we may [n](Y)present to You a heart of wisdom.

13 Do (Z)return, Lord; (AA)how long will it be?
And [o]be (AB)sorry for Your servants.
14 (AC)Satisfy us in the morning with Your graciousness,
That we may (AD)sing for joy and rejoice all our days.
15 (AE)Make us glad [p]according to the days You have afflicted us,
And the (AF)years we have seen [q]evil.
16 Let Your (AG)work appear to Your servants
And Your (AH)majesty [r]to their children.
17 May the (AI)kindness of the Lord our God be upon us;
And [s](AJ)confirm for us the work of our hands;
Yes, [t]confirm the work of our hands.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 90 Title Deut 33:1
  2. Psalm 90:1 Or hiding place; some ancient mss place of refuge
  3. Psalm 90:2 Or And
  4. Psalm 90:4 Or And
  5. Psalm 90:5 Or flooded
  6. Psalm 90:5 Lit become asleep
  7. Psalm 90:5 Or passes away
  8. Psalm 90:6 Or passes away
  9. Psalm 90:9 Or whisper
  10. Psalm 90:10 Lit years
  11. Psalm 90:10 Lit in them are
  12. Psalm 90:11 Or knows
  13. Psalm 90:11 Lit of You
  14. Psalm 90:12 Lit bring in
  15. Psalm 90:13 Or repent in regard to
  16. Psalm 90:15 Or as many days as
  17. Psalm 90:15 Or trouble
  18. Psalm 90:16 Or upon
  19. Psalm 90:17 Or give permanence to
  20. Psalm 90:17 Or give permanence to

FJÄRDE BOKEN

Guds evighet och vår förgänglighet

90 (A) En bön av gudsmannen Mose.

Herre, du har varit vår tillflykt[a]
    från släkte till släkte.
(B) Innan bergen blev till
    och du skapade jorden och världen,
        från evighet till evighet är du,
            Gud.

(C) Du låter människan
        vända åter till stoft,
    du säger: "Vänd om,
        ni människors[b] barn!"
(D) Tusen år är i dina ögon
    som dagen i går som försvann,
        som en av nattens timmar[c].
(E) Du sköljer bort dem,
        de är som en sömn.
    Om morgonen gror de som gräset,
(F) om morgonen gror det och blomstrar,
    mot kvällen vissnar det och torkar.

Vi går under genom din vrede,
    förskräckta av din glöd.
(G) Du ställer våra synder inför dig,
    våra hemligheter
        i ditt ansiktes ljus.
(H) Alla våra dagar försvinner
        genom din vrede,
    vi slutar våra år som en suck.
10 (I) Vårt liv varar sjuttio år,
        eller åttio om krafterna räcker.
    När det är som bäst
        är det möda och bekymmer.
    Snart är det slut och vi flyger bort.

11 (J) Vem känner din vredes kraft
        och din harm
    så att han fruktar dig?
12 (K) Lär oss att våra dagar är räknade,
    så att vi får visa hjärtan.

13 (L) Kom tillbaka, Herre!
        Hur länge dröjer du?
    Förbarma dig över dina tjänare!
14 Mätta oss med din nåd
        när morgonen gryr,
    så att vi får jubla och glädjas
        i alla våra dagar.
15 Gläd oss lika många dagar
        som du plågat oss,
    lika många år
        som vi sett det onda.
16 Låt din gärning bli synlig
        för dina tjänare
    och din härlighet över deras barn,
17 och låt Herren vår Guds ljuvlighet
        vila över oss.
    Ge oss framgång
        med våra händers verk,
    ja, ge framgång
        åt våra händers verk.

Footnotes

  1. 90:1 tillflykt   Annan översättning: "boning".
  2. 90:3 människors   Annan översättning: "Adams".
  3. 90:4 en av nattens timmar   Ordagrant: "en nattväkt" (tretimmarsperiod, se not till Matt 24:43).