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God Is Eternal, and We Are Not

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90 Lord, you have been our home
    since the beginning.
Before the mountains were born
    and before you created the earth and the world,
you are God.
    You have always been, and you will always be.

You turn people back into dust.
    You say, “Go back into dust, human beings.”
To you, a thousand years
    is like the passing of a day,
    or like a few hours in the night.
While people sleep, you take their lives.
    They are like grass that grows up in the morning.
In the morning they are fresh and new,
    but by evening they dry up and die.

We are destroyed by your anger;
    we are terrified by your hot anger.
You have put the evil we have done right in front of you;
    you clearly see our secret sins.
All our days pass while you are angry.
    Our years end with a moan.
10 Our lifetime is seventy years
    or, if we are strong, eighty years.
But the years are full of hard work and pain.
    They pass quickly, and then we are gone.

11 Who knows the full power of your anger?
    Your anger is as great as our fear of you should be.
12 Teach us how short our lives really are
    so that we may be wise.

13 Lord, how long before you return
    and show kindness to your servants?
14 Fill us with your love every morning.
    Then we will sing and rejoice all our lives.
15 We have seen years of trouble.
    Now give us as much joy as you gave us sorrow.
16 Show your servants the wonderful things you do;
    show your greatness to their children.
17 Lord our God, treat us well.
    Give us success in what we do;
    yes, give us success in what we do.

BOOK IV

Psalms 90–106

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place(A)
    throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born(B)
    or you brought forth the whole world,
    from everlasting to everlasting(C) you are God.(D)

You turn people back to dust,
    saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”(E)
A thousand years in your sight
    are like a day that has just gone by,
    or like a watch in the night.(F)
Yet you sweep people away(G) in the sleep of death—
    they are like the new grass of the morning:
In the morning it springs up new,
    but by evening it is dry and withered.(H)

We are consumed by your anger
    and terrified by your indignation.
You have set our iniquities before you,
    our secret sins(I) in the light of your presence.(J)
All our days pass away under your wrath;
    we finish our years with a moan.(K)
10 Our days may come to seventy years,(L)
    or eighty,(M) if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,(N)
    for they quickly pass, and we fly away.(O)
11 If only we knew the power of your anger!
    Your wrath(P) is as great as the fear that is your due.(Q)
12 Teach us to number our days,(R)
    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.(S)

13 Relent, Lord! How long(T) will it be?
    Have compassion on your servants.(U)
14 Satisfy(V) us in the morning with your unfailing love,(W)
    that we may sing for joy(X) and be glad all our days.(Y)
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
    your splendor to their children.(Z)

17 May the favor[a] of the Lord our God rest on us;
    establish the work of our hands for us—
    yes, establish the work of our hands.(AA)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 90:17 Or beauty