BOOK IV
(Psalms 90–106)
Psalm 90
Eternal God and Mortal Man
A prayer of Moses, the man of God.
1 Lord, you have been our refuge M
in every generation. f
2 Before the mountains were born,
before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
from eternity to eternity, you are God. g
3 You return mankind to the dust,
saying, “Return, descendants of Adam.” h
4 For in your sight a thousand years
are like yesterday that passes by,
like a few hours of the night. i
5 You end their lives; N they sleep. j
They are like grass that grows in the morning—
6 in the morning it sprouts and grows;
by evening it withers and dries up. k
7 For we are consumed by your anger;
we are terrified by your wrath. l
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence. m
9 For all our days ebb away under your wrath;
we end our years like a sigh. n
10 Our lives last O seventy years
or, if we are strong, eighty years.
Even the best of them are P struggle and sorrow;
indeed, they pass quickly and we fly away. o
11 Who understands the power of your anger?
Your wrath matches the fear that is due you. p
12 Teach us to number our days carefully
so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts. Q,q
Turn and have compassion on your servants. r
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your faithful love
so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days. s
15 Make us rejoice for as many days as you have humbled us,
for as many years as we have seen adversity. t
16 Let your work be seen by your servants,
and your splendor by their children. u
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us;
establish for us the work of our hands—
establish the work of our hands! v