Psalm 90

New International Reader's Version

Book IV

Psalms 90–106

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90 Lord, from the very beginning
you have been like a home to us.
²Before you created the whole world and the mountains were made,
from the beginning to the end you are God.

³You turn human beings back to dust.
    You say to them, “Return to dust.”
⁴To you a thousand years
    are like a day that has just gone by.
    They are like a few hours of the night.
⁵Yet you sweep people away, and they die.
    They are like new grass that grows in the morning.
⁶In the morning it springs up new,
    but by evening it’s all dried up.

⁷Your anger destroys us.
    Your burning anger terrifies us.
⁸You have put our sins right in front of you.
    You have placed our secret sins where you can see them clearly.
⁹You have been angry with us all of our days.
    We groan as we come to the end of our lives.
¹⁰We live to be about 70.
    Or we may live to be 80, if we stay healthy.
But even our best days are filled with trouble and sorrow.
    The years quickly pass, and we are gone.

¹¹If only we knew the power of your anger!
It’s as great as the respect we should have for you.
¹²Teach us to realize how short our lives are.
Then our hearts will become wise.

¹³Lord, please stop punishing us!
    How long will you keep it up?
    Be kind to us.
¹⁴Satisfy us with your faithful love every morning.
    Then we can sing for joy and be glad all our days.
¹⁵Make us glad for as many days as you have made us suffer.
    Give us joy for as many years as we’ve had trouble.
¹⁶Show us your mighty acts.
    Let our children see your glorious power.