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

90 (Tefillah of Moshe, ish HaElohim) Adonoi, Thou hast been our ma’on (dwelling place) b’dor vador.

Before the harim were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed eretz and the tevel (inhabited world), even from olam ad olam, Thou art El (G-d).

Thou turnest enosh to dakka (dust); and sayest, Shuvu, ye Bnei Adam.

For an elef shanim in Thy sight are but as yom etmol (yesterday) when it is past, and as an ashmurah (watch, division of time) in the lailah.

Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sheinah (sleep); in the boker they are like khatzir (grass) which withereth.

In the boker it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the erev it is cut down, and drieth up.

For we are consumed by Thine anger, and by Thy chemah are we troubled.

Thou hast set avonoteinu before Thee, our secret sins in the ohr of Thy countenance.

For kol yameinu are passed away in Thy evrah (fury); we spend shaneinu (our years) like a sigh.

10 The yamim of shnoteinu (our years, life) are threescore shanah and ten; and if by reason of gevurot they are fourscore shanah, yet is their boast amal (trouble, toil) and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

11 Who has da’as of the oz (power) of Thine anger? Thy evrah is as great as Thy yirah (fear of, reverence owed G-d).

12 So teach us to number yameinu, that we may apply levav unto chochmah.

13 Shuvah, Hashem. Ad mosai? Have compassion on Thy avadim.

14 O satisfy us baboker with Thy chesed; that we may sing for joy and be glad kol yameinu (all our days).

15 Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen ra’ah.

16 Let Thy work appear unto Thy avadim, and Thy glory unto their banim.

17 And let the no’am (favor, delightfulness) of Adonoi Eloheinu be upon us; and establish Thou the ma’aseh yadeinu upon us; yes, the ma’aseh yadeinu establish Thou it.