BOOK 4

PSALM 90

God’s Eternity and Man’s Transitoriness.

A Prayer of †Moses, the man of God.

1 Lord, You have been our 1adwelling place in all generations.

2 Before athe mountains were born

1Or You bgave birth to the earth and the world,

Even cfrom everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

3 You aturn man back into dust

And say, “Return, O children of men.”

4 For aa thousand years in Your sight

Are like byesterday when it passes by,

1Or as a cwatch in the night.

5 You ahave 1swept them away like a flood, they 2bfall asleep;

In the morning they are like cgrass which 3sprouts anew.

6 In the morning it aflourishes and 1sprouts anew;

Toward evening it bfades and cwithers away.

7 For we have been aconsumed by Your anger

And by Your wrath we have been 1dismayed.

8 You have aplaced our iniquities before You,

Our bsecret sins in the light of Your presence.

9 For aall our days have declined in Your fury;

We have finished our years like a 1sigh.

10 As for the days of our 1life, 2they contain seventy years,

Or if due to strength, aeighty years,

Yet their pride is but blabor and sorrow;

For soon it is gone and we cfly away.

11 Who 1understands the apower of Your anger

And Your fury, according to the bfear 2that is due You?

12 So ateach us to number our days,

That we may 1bpresent to You a heart of wisdom.

13 Do areturn, O Lord; bhow long will it be?

And 1be csorry for Your servants.

14 O asatisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,

That we may bsing for joy and be glad all our days.

15 aMake us glad 1according to the days You have afflicted us,

And the byears we have seen 2evil.

16 Let Your awork appear to Your servants

And Your bmajesty 1to their children.

17 Let the afavor of the Lord our God be upon us;

And 1bconfirm for us the work of our hands;

Yes, 1confirm the work of our hands.