BOOK IV
(Psalms 90–106)
(A prayer by Moses, the man of God.)
God Is Eternal
1Our Lord, in all generations
you have been our home.
2You have always been God—
long before the birth
of the mountains,
even before you created
the earth and the world.
3At your command we die
and turn back to dust,
4 but a thousand years
mean nothing to you!
They are merely a day gone by
or a few hours in the night.
5You bring our lives to an end
just like a dream.
We are merely tender grass
6that sprouts and grows
in the morning,
but dries up by evening.
7Your furious anger frightens
and destroys us,
8and you know all our sins,
even those we do in secret.
9Your anger is a burden
each day we live,
then life ends like a sigh.
10 We can expect seventy years,
or maybe eighty,
if we are healthy,
but even our best years
bring trouble and sorrow.
Suddenly our time is up,
and we disappear.
11No one knows the full power
of your furious anger,
but it is as great as the fear
that we owe to you.
12Teach us to use wisely
all the time we have.
13Help us, Lord! Don't wait!
Pity your servants.
14When morning comes,
let your love satisfy
all our needs.
Then we can celebrate
and be glad for what time
we have left.
15Make us happy for as long
as you caused us trouble
and sorrow.
16Do wonderful things for us,
your servants,
and show your mighty power
to our children.
17Our Lord and our God,
treat us with kindness
and let all go well for us.
Please let all go well!