< Psalms 90 >
1 A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, you have been our resting-place in all generations.
BOOK IV A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were made, before you had given birth to the earth and the world, before time was, and for ever, you are God.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.
3 You send man back to his dust; and say, Go back, you children of men.
Thou turnest man to contrition; and sayest: 'Return, ye children of men.'
4 For to you a thousand years are no more than yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night.
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.
6 In the morning it is green; in the evening it is cut down, and becomes dry.
In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
7 We are burned up by the heat of your passion, and troubled by your wrath.
For we are consumed in Thine anger, and by Thy wrath are we hurried away.
8 You have put our evil doings before you, our secret sins in the light of your face.
Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance.
9 For all our days have gone by in your wrath; our years come to an end like a breath.
For all our days are passed away in Thy wrath; we bring our years to an end as a tale that is told.
10 The measure of our life is seventy years; and if through strength it may be eighty years, its pride is only trouble and sorrow, for it comes to an end and we are quickly gone.
The days of our years are threescore years and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore years; yet is their pride but travail and vanity; for it is speedily gone, and we fly away.
11 Who has knowledge of the power of your wrath, or who takes note of the weight of your passion?
Who knoweth the power of Thine anger, and Thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto Thee?
12 So give us knowledge of the number of our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom.
So teach us to number our days, that we may get us a heart of wisdom.
13 Come back, O Lord; how long? let your purpose for your servants be changed.
Return, O LORD; how long? And let it repent Thee concerning Thy servants.
14 In the morning give us your mercy in full measure; so that we may have joy and delight all our days.
O satisfy us in the morning with Thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad in reward for the days of our sorrow, and for the years in which we have seen evil.
Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou hast afflicted us, according to the years wherein we have seen evil.
16 Make your work clear to your servants, and your glory to their children.
Let Thy work appear unto Thy servants, and Thy glory upon their children.
17 Let the pleasure of the Lord our God be on us: O Lord, give strength to the work of our hands.
And let the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us; establish Thou also upon us the work of our hands; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it.