Psalms 90
1 BOOK IV A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations.
A prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, through every generation, you have been “home” for us!
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.
Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the universe, from eternity past to eternity future, you are God.
3 Thou turnest man to contrition; and sayest: 'Return, ye children of men.'
You turn people back into dust, saying, “Return to dust, human beings.”
4 For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
In your eyes, a thousand years are like a day that's already gone; like a few passing hours of the night.
5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep; in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
You bring people's lives to a sudden end, like dreams that vanish. They are like grass that grows up in the morning—
6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
it sprouts in the morning, fresh and new, but by the evening it is withered and dead.
7 For we are consumed in Thine anger, and by Thy wrath are we hurried away.
We are burned up by your anger, terrified by your fury.
8 Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance.
You have set out our sins before you—our secret sins are visible in the light of your presence.
9 For all our days are passed away in Thy wrath; we bring our years to an end as a tale that is told.
Our lives fade away under your anger, coming to an end as quickly as a sigh.
10 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.
We live for seventy years—eighty if we have the strength. But even in the prime of life all that we have is hardship and suffering. Soon our lives are over and we're gone.
11 Who knoweth the power of Thine anger, and Thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto Thee?
Who can know the power of your anger? Who understands your fury so you can be shown reverence?
12 So teach us to number our days, that we may get us a heart of wisdom.
Teach us to value every one of our days so we can live wisely!
13 Return, O LORD; how long? And let it repent Thee concerning Thy servants.
Lord, how long will it be before you come back to us and have pity on us your servants?
14 O satisfy us in the morning with Thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Show us every morning your trustworthy love so we may be happy, full of joy throughout our lives.
15 Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou hast afflicted us, according to the years wherein we have seen evil.
Make us glad for as many days as you made us sad, for all the years we suffered!
16 Let Thy work appear unto Thy servants, and Thy glory upon their children.
May we, your servants, see you at work for us again; may our children see your glory.
17 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.
May our Lord God be pleased with us, blessing what we do, blessing what we do.
