God’s Eternity and Human Frailty

¹ A prayer of Moses, the man of God.¹ O Lord, you have been our help² ⌞in all generations⌟.³

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
2. Or “dwelling place”
3. Literally “in a generation and a generation”

² Before the mountains were born and you brought forth the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.

³ You return man to the dust, ⌞saying⌟,¹ “Return, O sons of man.”

1. Literally “and you say”

⁴ For a thousand years in your eyes are like yesterday when it passes, or like a watch in the night.

⁵ You sweep them away like a flood. They fall asleep.¹ In the morning they are like grass that sprouts anew.

1. The interpretation of 5a is difficult

⁶ In the morning it blossoms and sprouts anew; by evening it withers and dries up.

⁷ For we are brought to an end by your anger, and we hasten off¹ by your wrath.

1. Or “we are terrified”

⁸ You have put our iniquities before you, our hidden sins into the light of your countenance.

⁹ For all of our days dwindle away in your rage; we complete our years like a sigh.

¹⁰ As for the days of our years, within them are seventy years or if by strength eighty years, and their pride¹ is trouble and disaster, for it passes quickly and we fly away.

1. Or “span”

¹¹ Who knows the strength of your anger, and your rage consistent with¹ the fear due you?

1. Hebrew “according to”

¹² So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

¹³ Return,¹ O Yahweh. How long? And have compassion on² your servants.

1. Or “Turn back your wrath”
2. Or “change your mind concerning”

¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your loyal love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

¹⁵ Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen calamity.

¹⁶ Let your work be visible to your servants, and your majesty to their children.

¹⁷ And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish for us the work of our hands, yes, the work of our hands, establish it.