Psalm 90
EasyEnglish Bible
A prayer of Moses, God's servant.
God lives for ever![a]
90 Lord, from long ago,
you have always been a safe home for us.[b]
2 From before the mountains began,
and before you made the world,
you were already there, as God.
You have no beginning and no end.
3 People return to dust in the ground when they die.
You say, ‘Become dust again, you people.’[c]
4 For you, a thousand years is only a short time.
They pass as quickly as a day for you,
or just a few hours in the night.
5 You cause people's lives to end,
as a dream finishes when you wake up.
People are like grass that appears in the morning.
6 During the morning, it grows well.
By the evening,
it becomes dry and it dies.
7 Your anger destroys us,
and we become very afraid.
8 All our sins are there for you to see.
You even see the sins that we have tried to hide.
9 Your anger gives us trouble all through our lives.
Then our lives end in a short groan.
10 The number of our days make 70 years,
or maybe 80 years if we are strong enough.
But even in the best years of our lives,
we have trouble and pain.
Our lives quickly pass,
and we hurry towards death.
11 Lord, nobody knows all the power of your anger.
It is your anger that causes people to be afraid of you.
12 Teach us to count carefully the days of our short lives.
Then we will be wise in how we live.
13 Lord, return to help us!
How long will you be angry with us?
Please be kind to us, your servants!
14 Show your faithful love to us every morning.
Then we will sing with joy,
and we will be happy for as long as we live.
15 For many years you have sent trouble to us.
Now, please make us happy
for as many years as you have given us pain.
16 Do great things again,
so that we, your servants, see them!
Let our children see that you rule as King!
17 Yes, may the Lord our God bless us.
May everything that we do go well!
Yes, may everything go well!
Footnotes
- 90:1 These are words that Moses prayed. This psalm makes us think of Genesis 3 and Deuteronomy 32. We learn about God (verses 1-2) and about people (verses 3-6). We learn that God is angry when we do wrong things (verses 7-11), so we should be careful in how we live our short lives (verses 12-17).
- 90:1 See John 14:2.
- 90:3 See Genesis 2:7.
Psalm 90
English Standard Version
Book Four
From Everlasting to Everlasting
A (A)Prayer of Moses, the (B)man of God.
90 Lord, you have been our (C)dwelling place[a]
in all generations.
2 (D)Before the (E)mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
(F)from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You return man to dust
and say, (G)“Return, (H)O children of man!”[b]
4 For (I)a thousand years in your sight
are but as (J)yesterday when it is past,
or as (K)a watch in the night.
5 You (L)sweep them away as with a flood; they are like (M)a dream,
like (N)grass that is renewed in the morning:
6 in (O)the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it (P)fades and (Q)withers.
7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;
by your wrath we are dismayed.
8 You have (R)set our iniquities before you,
our (S)secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span[c] is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12 (T)So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 (U)Return, O Lord! (V)How long?
Have (W)pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the (X)morning with your steadfast love,
that we may (Y)rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have (Z)afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your (AA)work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the (AB)favor[d] of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish (AC)the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!
Footnotes
- Psalm 90:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts (compare Septuagint) our refuge
- Psalm 90:3 Or of Adam
- Psalm 90:10 Or pride
- Psalm 90:17 Or beauty
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