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BOOK 4

From Everlasting to Everlasting, You Are God

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

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

You (E)turn man back into dust
And say, “Return, O sons of men.”
For (F)a thousand years in Your sight
Are like (G)yesterday when it passes by,
[d]Or as 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 which [g]sprouts anew.
In the morning it (L)blossoms and [h]sprouts anew;
Toward evening it (M)withers away and (N)dries up.

For we have been (O)consumed by Your anger
And by Your wrath we have been [i]dismayed.
You have (P)set our iniquities before You,
Our (Q)secret sins in the light of Your presence.
For (R)all our days have declined in Your fury;
We have finished our years like a [j]sigh.
10 As for the days of our [k]life, [l]they contain seventy years,
Or if due to might, (S)eighty years,
Yet their pride is but (T)labor and wickedness;
For soon it is gone and we (U)fly away.
11 Who knows the (V)power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the (W)fear [m]that is due You?
12 [n]So (X)teach us to number our days,
That we may [o](Y)present to You a heart of wisdom.

13 (Z)Return, O Yahweh; (AA)how long will it be?
And [p]be (AB)sorry for Your slaves.
14 O (AC)satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,
That we may (AD)sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 (AE)Make us glad [q]according to the days You have afflicted us,
And the (AF)years we have seen [r]evil.
16 Let Your (AG)work appear to Your slaves
And Your (AH)majesty [s]to their sons.
17 Let the (AI)favor of the Lord our God be upon us;
And (AJ)establish for us the work of our hands;
Establish the work of our hands.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 90 Title Deut 33:1
  2. Psalm 90:1 Or hiding place, help; 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 90:7 Or terrified
  10. Psalm 90:9 Or whisper
  11. Psalm 90:10 Lit years
  12. Psalm 90:10 Lit in them are
  13. Psalm 90:11 Lit of You
  14. Psalm 90:12 Lit Cause us to know how to number our days
  15. Psalm 90:12 Or gain, bring in
  16. Psalm 90:13 Or repent in regard to
  17. Psalm 90:15 Or as many days as
  18. Psalm 90:15 Or trouble
  19. Psalm 90:16 Or upon

BOOK IV (Psalms 90-106)

A prayer by Moses, the godly man

Life is Short

90 Lord, you’ve been our refuge[a]
    from generation to generation.
Before the mountains were formed
    or the earth and the world were brought forth,
        you are God from eternity to eternity.

You return people to dust
    merely by[b] saying, “Return, you mortals!”
One thousand years in your sight are but a single day
    that passes by, just like a night watch.
You will sweep them away while they are asleep—
    by morning they are like growing grass.
In the morning it blossoms and is renewed,
    but toward evening, it fades and withers.

Indeed, we are consumed[c] by your anger
    and terrified by your wrath.
You have set our iniquities before you,
    what we have concealed in the light of your presence.

All our days pass[d] away in your wrath;
    our years fade away[e] and end like a sigh.
10 We live for 70 years,
    or 80 years if we’re healthy,[f]
yet even in the prime years[g] there are troubles and sorrow.
    They pass by quickly and we fly away.

11 Who can know the intensity of your anger?
    Because our fear of you matches your wrath,
12 teach us to keep account of our days
    so we may develop inner wisdom.

13 Please return, Lord! When will it be?
    Comfort your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your gracious love
    so we may sing for joy
        and rejoice every day.
15 Cause us to rejoice throughout the time when you have afflicted us,
    the years when we have known[h] trouble.

16 May your awesome deeds be revealed to your servants,
    as well as your splendor to their children.
17 May your favor be on us, Lord our God;
    make our endeavors successful;
        yes, make our endeavors secure!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 90:1 Or our dwelling place
  2. Psalm 90:3 The Heb. lacks merely by
  3. Psalm 90:7 Lit. finished
  4. Psalm 90:9 Or turn
  5. Psalm 90:9 Lit. are finished
  6. Psalm 90:10 Lit. strong
  7. Psalm 90:10 Lit. the pride
  8. Psalm 90:15 Lit. seen