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BOOK IV

God’s Eternity and Human Frailty

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place[a]
    in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
    or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world,
    from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.

Thou turnest man back to the dust,
    and sayest, “Turn back, O children of men!”
For a thousand years in thy sight
    are but as yesterday when it is past,
    or as a watch in the night.

Thou dost sweep men away; they are like a dream,
    like grass which is renewed in the morning:
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
    in the evening it fades and withers.

For we are consumed by thy anger;
    by thy wrath we are overwhelmed.
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee,
    our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

For all our days pass away under thy wrath,
    our years come to an end[b] like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are threescore and ten,
    or even by reason of strength fourscore;
yet their span[c] is but toil and trouble;
    they are soon gone, and we fly away.

11 Who considers the power of thy anger,
    and thy wrath according to the fear of thee?
12 So teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord! How long?
    Have pity on thy servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love,
    that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad as many days as thou hast afflicted us,
    and as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let thy work be manifest to thy servants,
    and thy glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor 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.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 90:1 Another reading is refuge
  2. Psalm 90:9 Syr: Heb we bring our years to an end
  3. Psalm 90:10 Cn Compare Gk Syr Jerome Tg: Heb pride

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 FOUR

Psalms 90–106

Psalm 90

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

Lord, You have been our dwelling place
    in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
    or You had formed the earth and the world,
    even from everlasting to everlasting You are God.

You return man to the dust
    and say, “Return, you children of men.”
For a thousand years in Your sight
    are but as yesterday when it is past,
    or as a night watch in the night time.
You carry them away as with a flood;
    they are as a dream, like renewed grass in the morning:
In the morning it flourishes and grows up;
    in the evening it fades and withers.

For we are consumed by Your anger,
    and by Your wrath we are terrified.
You have set our iniquities before You,
    even our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
For all our days pass away in your wrath;
    we end our years with a groan.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
    and if by reason of strength eighty;
yet their length is toil and sorrow,
    for they soon end, and we fly away.
11 Who knows the power of Your anger?
    Or Your wrath according to Your fear?
12 So teach us to number our days,
    that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord, how long?
    Have mercy on Your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the early morning with Your mercy,
    that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad according to the days that You have afflicted us,
    and the years that we have seen evil.
16 Let Your work be displayed to Your servants
    and Your glory to their children.

17 Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
    and establish the work of our hands among us;
    yes, establish the work of our hands.

BOOK IV

Psalms 90–106

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place(A)
    throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born(B)
    or you brought forth the whole world,
    from everlasting to everlasting(C) you are God.(D)

You turn people back to dust,
    saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”(E)
A thousand years in your sight
    are like a day that has just gone by,
    or like a watch in the night.(F)
Yet you sweep people away(G) in the sleep of death—
    they are like the new grass of the morning:
In the morning it springs up new,
    but by evening it is dry and withered.(H)

We are consumed by your anger
    and terrified by your indignation.
You have set our iniquities before you,
    our secret sins(I) in the light of your presence.(J)
All our days pass away under your wrath;
    we finish our years with a moan.(K)
10 Our days may come to seventy years,(L)
    or eighty,(M) if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,(N)
    for they quickly pass, and we fly away.(O)
11 If only we knew the power of your anger!
    Your wrath(P) is as great as the fear that is your due.(Q)
12 Teach us to number our days,(R)
    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.(S)

13 Relent, Lord! How long(T) will it be?
    Have compassion on your servants.(U)
14 Satisfy(V) us in the morning with your unfailing love,(W)
    that we may sing for joy(X) and be glad all our days.(Y)
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
    your splendor to their children.(Z)

17 May the favor[a] of the Lord our God rest on us;
    establish the work of our hands for us—
    yes, establish the work of our hands.(AA)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 90:17 Or beauty