90 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.

17 And let the beauty 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.

Book IV

(Psalms 90–106)

Psalm 90

God’s Eternity and Human Frailty

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

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

You turn us[b] back to dust
    and say, “Turn back, you mortals.”(C)
For a thousand years in your sight
    are like yesterday when it is past
    or like a watch in the night.(D)

You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
    like grass that is renewed in the morning;(E)
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
    in the evening it fades and withers.(F)

For we are consumed by your anger;
    by your wrath we are overwhelmed.
You have set our iniquities before you,
    our secret sins in the light of your countenance.(G)

For all our days pass away under your wrath;
    our years come to an end[c] like a sigh.(H)
10 The days of our life are seventy years
    or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span[d] is only toil and trouble;
    they are soon gone, and we fly away.(I)

11 Who considers the power of your anger?
    Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.(J)
12 So teach us to count our days
    that we may gain a wise heart.(K)

13 Turn, O Lord! How long?
    Have compassion on your servants!(L)
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
    so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.(M)
15 Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us
    and as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be manifest to your servants
    and your glorious power to their children.(N)
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us
    and prosper for us the work of our hands—
    O prosper the work of our hands!(O)

Footnotes

  1. 90.1 Or our refuge
  2. 90.3 Heb humankind
  3. 90.9 Syr: Heb we bring our years to an end
  4. 90.10 Cn Compare Gk Syr Jerome Tg: Heb pride