Psalm 90–92

Of God and Man^p

90 O Lord, you have always been our home.

²Before you created the hills

or brought the world into being,

you were eternally God,

and will be God for ever.

³You tell us to return to what we were;

you change us back to dust.

^4*A thousand years to you are like one day;

they are like yesterday, already gone,

like a short hour in the night.

⁵You carry us away like a flood;

we last no longer than a dream.

We are like weeds that sprout in the morning,

⁶that grow and burst into bloom,

then dry up and die in the evening.

⁷We are destroyed by your anger;

we are terrified by your fury.

⁸You place our sins before you,

our secret sins where you can see them.

⁹Our life is cut short by your anger;

it fades away like a whisper.

¹⁰Seventy years is all we have—

eighty years, if we are strong;

yet all they bring us is trouble and sorrow;

life is soon over, and we are gone.

¹¹Who has felt the full power of your anger?

Who knows what fear your fury can bring?

¹²Teach us how short our life is,

so that we may become wise.

¹³How much longer will your anger last?

Have pity, O Lord, on your servants!

¹⁴Fill us each morning with your constant love,

so that we may sing and be glad all our life.

¹⁵Give us now as much happiness as the sadness you gave us

during all our years of misery.

¹⁶Let us, your servants, see your mighty deeds;

let our descendants see your glorious might.

¹⁷Lord our God, may your blessings be with us.

Give us success in all we do!

God Our Protector

91Whoever goes to the Lord for safety,

whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty,

²can say to him,

“You are my defender and protector.

You are my God; in you I trust.”

³He will keep you safe from all hidden dangers

and from all deadly diseases.

⁴He will cover you with his wings;

you will be safe in his care;

his faithfulness will protect and defend you.

⁵You need not fear any dangers at night

or sudden attacks during the day

⁶or the plagues that strike in the dark

or the evils that kill in daylight.

⁷A thousand may fall dead beside you,

ten thousand all round you,

but you will not be harmed.

⁸You will look and see

how the wicked are punished.

⁹You have made the Lord your^q defender,

the Most High your protector,

¹⁰and so no disaster will strike you,

no violence will come near your home.

^11*God will put his angels in charge of you

to protect you wherever you go.

^12*They will hold you up with their hands

to keep you from hurting your feet on the stones.

^13*You will trample down lions and snakes,

fierce lions and poisonous snakes.

¹⁴God says, “I will save those who love me

and will protect those who acknowledge me as Lord.

¹⁵When they call to me, I will answer them;

when they are in trouble, I will be with them.

I will rescue them and honour them.

¹⁶I will reward them with long life;

I will save them.”

A Song of Praise^r

92 How good it is to give thanks to you, O Lord,

to sing in your honour, O Most High God,

²to proclaim your constant love every morning

and your faithfulness every night,

³with the music of stringed instruments

and with melody on the harp.

⁴Your mighty deeds, O Lord, make me glad;

because of what you have done, I sing for joy.

⁵How great are your actions, Lord!

How deep are your thoughts!

⁶This is something a fool cannot know;

a stupid person cannot understand:

⁷the wicked may grow like weeds,

those who do wrong may prosper;

yet they will be totally destroyed,

⁸because you, Lord, are supreme for ever.

⁹We know that your enemies will die,

and all the wicked will be defeated.

¹⁰You have made me as strong as a wild ox;

you have blessed me with happiness.

¹¹I have seen the defeat of my enemies

and heard the cries of the wicked.

¹²The righteous will flourish like palm trees;

they will grow like the cedars of Lebanon.

¹³They are like trees planted in the house of the Lord,

that flourish in the Temple of our God,

¹⁴that still bear fruit in old age

and are always green and strong.

¹⁵This shows that the Lord is just,

that there is no wrong in my protector.