Psalm 90

God’s Eternity and Human Frailty

90A prayer of Moses, the man of God.^a

¹O Lord, you have been our help^b in all generations.^c

²Before the mountains were born

and you brought forth the earth and the world,

even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.

³You return man to the dust,

saying,^d “Return, O sons of man.”

⁴For a thousand years in your eyes

are like yesterday when it passes,

or like a watch in the night.

⁵You sweep them away like a flood.

They fall asleep.^e

In the morning they are like grass that sprouts anew.

⁶In the morning it blossoms and sprouts anew;

by evening it withers and dries up.

⁷For we are brought to an end by your anger,

and we hasten off^f by your wrath.

⁸You have put our iniquities before you,

our hidden sins into the light of your countenance.

⁹For all of our days dwindle away in your rage;

we complete our years like a sigh.

¹⁰As for the days of our years, within them are seventy years

or if by strength eighty years, and their pride^g is trouble and disaster,

for it passes quickly and we fly away.

¹¹Who knows the strength of your anger,

and your rage consistent with^h the fear due you?

¹²So teach us to number our days

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

¹³Return,ⁱ O Yahweh. How long?

And have compassion on^j your servants.

¹⁴Satisfy us in the morning with your loyal love,

that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

¹⁵Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

for as many years as we have seen calamity.

¹⁶Let your work be visible to your servants,

and your majesty to their children.

¹⁷And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,

and establish for us the work of our hands,

yes, the work of our hands, establish it.