Psalms 90

Teach us to number our days

Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!a ²Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.b ³You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals!” ⁴For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours.c

⁵You sweep people away like dreams that disappear. They are like grass that springs up in the morning. ⁶In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it is dry and withered. ⁷We wither beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your fury.

⁸You spread out our sins before you— our secret sins—and you see them all. ⁹We live our lives beneath your wrath, ending our years with a groan. ¹⁰Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away.d

¹¹Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. ¹²Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.e ¹³O Lord, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants!

¹⁴Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.f ¹⁵Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. ¹⁶Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory.g

¹⁷And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!h