Psalms  ◦   Chapter 90

1O Lord, you have always been our sanctuary — our oasis and safe haven —
for every generation.

2Before time began and the mountains were born,
before you gave of yourself to give birth to the earth,
from eternity past to eternity future, you are the Creator God.

3In mercy — to limit the suffering from sin — you return human beings to dust,
saying, "Return to dust, you offspring of Adam."

4But this is but a brief respite in your healing plan;
for you, a thousand years are like a single day —
more like a few hours of the night.

5In mercy, you permit us to fall asleep in death.
We sprout like the flowers in the field —

6in the morning we blossom bright and fresh,
but by evening we wither and die.

7Our sin-sickness comes to an end in your presence,
therefore, it terrifies us to be abandoned by you.

8Our terminal condition is laid out before you,
the corruption most deeply hidden in our souls is exposed in your presence.

9All of our days we struggle to turn away from the selfishness which you hate;
our lives end in mournful meditation.

10We live for seventy years,
or eighty years if we are strong;
but our selfishness causes life to be hard — a struggle filled with sorrow;
time flies by so quickly and we pass away.

11Who really knows how angry it makes you that this happened to us?
Your wrath to destroy sin is awe-inspiring.

12Help us understand our terminal condition — how short life really is —
so that we may have the wisdom to partake of your remedy
and experience renewed hearts.

13When will you turn to us, O Lord —
turn and comfort your helpers?

14Fill us each morning with your life-giving love,
that our lives may be a joyful song revealing your methods and character of love.

15Make our joy last longer than our suffering —
many years longer than we have struggled against evil.

16Let your healing work be seen by your helpers
and your glorious character of love by their children.

17Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us
and be the basis of the practices of our lives —
even the works of our hands!