BOOK IV

Psalms 90–106

From Everlasting to Everlasting

¹A prayer of Moses the man of God.

Lord, You have been our dwelling place

through all generations.

²Before the mountains were born

or You brought forth the earth and the world,

from everlasting to everlasting

You are God.

³You return man to dust,

saying, “Return, O sons of mortals.”

⁴For in Your sight a thousand years

are but a day that passes,^a

or a watch of the night.

⁵You sweep them away in their sleep;

they are like the new grass of the morning—

⁶in the morning it springs up new,

but by evening it fades and withers.

⁷For we are consumed by Your anger

and terrified by Your wrath.

⁸You have set our iniquities before You,

our secret sins in the light of Your presence.

⁹For all our days decline in Your fury;

we finish our years with a sigh.

¹⁰The length of our days is seventy years —

or eighty if we are strong —

yet their pride is but labor and sorrow,

for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

¹¹Who knows the power of Your anger?

Your wrath matches the fear You are due.

¹²So teach us to number our days,

that we may present a heart of wisdom.

¹³Return, O LORD! How long will it be?

Have compassion on Your servants.

¹⁴Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion,

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 evil.

¹⁶May Your work be shown to Your servants,

and Your splendor to their children.

¹⁷May the favor^b of the Lord our God rest upon us;

establish for us the work of our hands—

yes, establish the work of our hands!