BOOK FOUR
90
(Psalms 90–106)
A prayer by Moses, the man of God.
1 O Lord, you have been our refuge throughout every generation.
2 Before the mountains were born,
before you gave birth to the earth and the world, you were God.
You are God from everlasting to everlasting.
3 You turn mortals back into dust
and say, “Return, descendants of Adam.”
4 Indeed, in your sight a thousand years are like a single day,
like yesterday—already past—
like an hour in the night.
5 You sweep mortals away.
They are a dream.
They sprout again in the morning like cut grass.
6 In the morning they blossom and sprout.
In the evening they wither and dry up.
7 Indeed, your anger consumes us.
Your rage terrifies us.
8 You have set our sins in front of you.
You have put our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 Indeed, all our days slip away because of your fury.
We live out our years like one ⌞long⌟ sigh.
10 Each 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.
11 Who fully understands the power of your anger?
A person fears you more when he better understands your fury.
12 Teach us to number each of our days
so that we may grow in wisdom.
13 Return, Lord! How long … ?
Change your plans about ⌞us,⌟ your servants.
14 Satisfy us every morning with your mercy
so that we may sing joyfully and rejoice all our days.
15 Make us rejoice for as many days as you have made us suffer,
for as many years as we have experienced evil.
16 Let ⌞us,⌟ your servants, see what you can do.
Let our children see your glorious power.
17 Let 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.