< Psalms 90 >

1 [A Prayer by Moses, the man of God.] YHWH, you have been our dwelling place for all generations.
BOOK FOURTH: “A prayer of Moses the man of God.” Lord, a place of refuge hast thou been unto us in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, before you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
Before yet the mountains were brought forth, or thou hadst ever produced the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3 You turn man to destruction, saying, "Return, you descendants of Adam."
Thou turnest man to contrition, and sayest, Return ye children of men.
4 For a thousand years in your sight are just like yesterday when it is past, like a watch in the night.
For a thousand years are in thy eyes but as the yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away as they sleep. In the morning they sprout like new grass.
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning [they grow] like the grass which changeth.
6 In the morning it sprouts and springs up. By evening, it is withered and dry.
In the morning it blossometh, and is changed: in the evening it is mowed off, and withereth.
7 For we are consumed in your anger. We are troubled in your wrath.
For [thus] are we consumed by thy anger, and by thy fury are we terrified.
8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our concealed sins before the light of thy countenance.
9 For all our days have passed away in your wrath. We bring our years to an end as a sigh.
For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we consume our years like a word that is spoken.
10 The days of our years are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty years; yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for it passes quickly, and we fly away.
The days of our years in this life are seventy years; and if by uncommon vigor they be eighty, yet is their greatness trouble and mishap; for it soon hasteneth off, and we fly away.
11 Who knows the power of your anger, your wrath according to the fear that is due to you?
Who knoweth the strength of thy anger, and thy wrath which is like the fear of thee?
12 So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Let us then know how to number our days, that we may obtain a heart endowed with wisdom.
13 Relent, YHWH. How long? Have compassion on your servants.
Return, O Lord, how long yet? and bethink thee concerning thy servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
O satisfy us in the morning with thy kindness, that we may be glad and rejoice throughout all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen evil.
Cause us to rejoice as many days as those wherein thou hast afflicted us, the years wherein we have seen unhappiness.
16 Let your work appear to your servants; your glory to their children.
Let thy act be visible on thy servants, and thy majesty over their children.
17 Let the favor of YHWH our God be on us; establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.
And may the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and the work of our hands do thou firmly establish upon us: yea, the work of our hands—firmly establish thou it.

< Psalms 90 >