Psalm 90-91

Common English Bible

³ You return people to dust,
    saying, “Go back, humans,”
⁴     because in your perspective a thousand years
    are like yesterday past,
    like a short period during the night watch.
⁵ You sweep humans away like a dream,
    like grass that is renewed in the morning.
⁶ True, in the morning it thrives, renewed,
    but come evening it withers, all dried up.
⁷ Yes, we are wasting away because of your wrath;
    we are paralyzed with fear on account of your rage.
⁸ You put our sins right in front of you,
    set our hidden faults in the light from your face.
⁹ Yes, all our days slip away because of your fury;
    we finish up our years with a whimper.
¹⁰ We live at best to be seventy years old,
    maybe eighty, if we’re strong.
But their duration brings hard work and trouble
    because they go by so quickly.
    And then we fly off.
¹¹ Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
    The honor that is due you corresponds to your wrath.
¹² Teach us to number our days
    so we can have a wise heart.

¹³ Come back to us, Lord!
    Please, quick!
    Have some compassion for your servants!
¹⁴ Fill us full every morning with your faithful love
    so we can rejoice and celebrate our whole life long.
¹⁵ Make us happy for the same amount of time that you afflicted us—
    for the same number of years that we saw only trouble.
¹⁶ Let your acts be seen by your servants;
    let your glory be seen by their children.
¹⁷ Let the kindness of the Lord our God be over us.
    Make the work of our hands last.
    Make the work of our hands last!

³ God will save you from the hunter’s trap
    and from deadly sickness.
⁴ God will protect you with his pinions;
    you’ll find refuge under his wings.
    His faithfulness is a protective shield.
⁵ Don’t be afraid of terrors at night,
    arrows that fly in daylight,
⁶     or sickness that prowls in the dark,
    destruction that ravages at noontime.
⁷ Even if one thousand people fall dead next to you,
    ten thousand right beside you—
    it won’t happen to you.
⁸ Just look with your eyes,
    and you will see the wicked punished.
⁹ Because you’ve made the Lord my refuge,
    the Most High, your place of residence—
¹⁰         no evil will happen to you;
        no disease will come close to your tent.
¹¹ Because he will order his messengers to help you,
    to protect you wherever you go.
¹² They will carry you with their own hands
    so you don’t bruise your foot on a stone.
¹³ You’ll march on top of lions and vipers;
    you’ll trample young lions and serpents underfoot.

¹⁴ God says,^[b] “Because you are devoted to me,
    I’ll rescue you.
    I’ll protect you because you know my name.
¹⁵ Whenever you cry out to me, I’ll answer.
    I’ll be with you in troubling times.
    I’ll save you and glorify you.
¹⁶     I’ll fill you full with old age.
    I’ll show you my salvation.”