Psalm 90–92

Psalm 90

A prayer by Moses, the man of God. 

¹O Lord, you have been our refuge throughout every generation. 

²Before the mountains were born, 

before you gave birth to the earth and the world, you were God. 

You are God from everlasting to everlasting. 

³You turn mortals back into dust 

and say, “Return, descendants of Adam.” 

⁴Indeed, in your sight a thousand years are like a single day, 

like yesterday—already past— 

like an hour in the night. 

⁵You sweep mortals away. 

They are a dream. 

They sprout again in the morning like cut grass. 

⁶In the morning they blossom and sprout. 

In the evening they wither and dry up. 

⁷Indeed, your anger consumes us. 

Your rage terrifies us. 

⁸You have set our sins in front of you. 

You have put our secret sins in the light of your presence. 

⁹Indeed, all our days slip away because of your fury. 

We live out our years like one ⸤long⸥ sigh. 

¹⁰Each of us lives for 70 years— 

or even 80 if we are in good health. 

But the best of them⸤bring⸥ trouble and misery. 

Indeed, they are soon gone, and we fly away. 

¹¹Who fully understands the power of your anger? 

A person fears you more when he better understands your fury. 

¹²Teach us to number each of our days 

so that we may grow in wisdom. 

¹³Return, Lord! How long …? 

Change your plans about ⸤us,⸥ your servants. 

¹⁴Satisfy us every morning with your mercy 

so that we may sing joyfully and rejoice all our days. 

¹⁵Make us rejoice for as many days as you have made us suffer, 

for as many years as we have experienced evil. 

¹⁶Let ⸤us,⸥ your servants, see what you can do. 

Let our children see your glorious power. 

¹⁷Let the kindness of the Lord our God be with us. 

Make us successful in everything we do. 

Yes, make us successful in everything we do. 

Psalm 91

¹Whoever lives under the shelter of the Most High 

will remain in the shadow of the Almighty. 

²I will say to the Lord, 

“⸤You are⸥ my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” 

³He is the one who will rescue you from hunters’ traps 

and from deadly plagues. 

⁴He will cover you with his feathers, 

and under his wings you will find refuge. 

His truth is your shield and armor. 

⁵You do not need to fear 

terrors of the night, 

arrows that fly during the day, 

⁶plagues that roam the dark, 

epidemics that strike at noon. 

⁷They will not come near you, 

even though a thousand may fall dead beside you 

or ten thousand at your right side. 

⁸You only have to look with your eyes 

to see the punishment of wicked people. 

⁹You, O Lord, are my refuge! 

You have made the Most High your home. 

¹⁰No harm will come to you. 

No sickness will come near your house. 

¹¹He will put his angels in charge of you 

to protect you in all your ways. 

¹²They will carry you in their hands 

so that you never hit your foot against a rock. 

¹³You will step on lions and cobras. 

You will trample young lions and snakes. 

¹⁴Because you love me, I will rescue you. 

I will protect you because you know my name. 

¹⁵When you call to me, I will answer you. 

I will be with you when you are in trouble. 

I will save you and honor you. 

¹⁶I will satisfy you with a long life. 

I will show you how I will save you. 

Psalm 92

A psalm; a song; for the day of rest—a holy day. 

¹It is good to give thanks to the Lord, 

to make music to praise your name, O Most High. 

²It is good to announce your mercy in the morning 

and your faithfulness in the evening 

³on a ten-stringed instrument and a harp 

and with a melody on a lyre. 

⁴You made me find joy in what you have done, O Lord. 

I will sing joyfully about the works of your hands. 

⁵How spectacular are your works, O Lord! 

How very deep are your thoughts! 

⁶A stupid person cannot know 

and a fool cannot understand 

⁷that wicked people sprout like grass 

and all troublemakers blossom ⸤like flowers⸥, 

only to be destroyed forever. 

⁸But you, O Lord, are highly honored forever. 

⁹Now look at your enemies, O Lord. 

Now look at your enemies. 

They disappear, and all troublemakers are scattered. 

¹⁰But you make me as strong as a wild bull, 

and soothing lotion is poured on me. 

¹¹My eyes gloat over those who spy on me. 

My ears hear ⸤the cries⸥ of evildoers attacking me. 

¹²Righteous people flourish like palm trees 

and grow tall like the cedars in Lebanon. 

¹³They are planted in the Lord’s house. 

They blossom in our God’s courtyards. 

¹⁴Even when they are old, they still bear fruit. 

They are always healthy and fresh. 

¹⁵They make it known that the Lord is decent. 

He is my rock. 

He is never unfair.