BOOK 4

God’s Eternity and the Brevity of Human Life.

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

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

You (E)turn mortals back into dust
And say, “Return, you sons of mankind.”
For (F)a thousand years in Your sight
Are like (G)yesterday when it passes by,
[d]Or like 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 that [g]sprouts anew.
In the morning it (L)flourishes and [h]sprouts anew;
Toward evening it (M)wilts and (N)withers away.

For we have been (O)consumed by Your anger,
And we have been terrified by Your wrath.
You have (P)placed our guilty deeds before You,
Our (Q)hidden sins in the light of Your presence.
For (R)all our days have dwindled away in Your fury;
We have finished our years like a [i]sigh.
10 As for the days of our [j]life, [k]they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, (S)eighty years,
Yet their pride is only (T)trouble and tragedy;
For it quickly passes, and we (U)disappear.
11 Who [l]understands the (V)power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the (W)fear [m]that is due You?
12 So (X)teach us to number our days,
That we may [n](Y)present to You a heart of wisdom.

13 Do (Z)return, Lord; (AA)how long will it be?
And [o]be (AB)sorry for Your servants.
14 (AC)Satisfy us in the morning with Your graciousness,
That we may (AD)sing for joy and rejoice all our days.
15 (AE)Make us glad [p]according to the days You have afflicted us,
And the (AF)years we have seen [q]evil.
16 Let Your (AG)work appear to Your servants
And Your (AH)majesty [r]to their children.
17 May the (AI)kindness of the Lord our God be upon us;
And [s](AJ)confirm for us the work of our hands;
Yes, [t]confirm the work of our hands.

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 90 Title Deut 33:1
  2. Psalm 90:1 Or hiding place; 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 90:9 Or whisper
  10. Psalm 90:10 Lit years
  11. Psalm 90:10 Lit in them are
  12. Psalm 90:11 Or knows
  13. Psalm 90:11 Lit of You
  14. Psalm 90:12 Lit bring in
  15. Psalm 90:13 Or repent in regard to
  16. Psalm 90:15 Or as many days as
  17. Psalm 90:15 Or trouble
  18. Psalm 90:16 Or upon
  19. Psalm 90:17 Or give permanence to
  20. Psalm 90:17 Or give permanence to

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.

Notas al pie

  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