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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

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!