"YAHWEH, YOU have been our refuge through all generations.
Before the mountains were formed, before YOU made the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity - YOU are GOD.
YOU turn humans back to dust, saying, 'Return, O mortals!'
A thousand years in YOUR sight are like a day that has passed, or like a watch in the night.
YOU sow them in their time, at dawn they peep out. In the morning they blossom, but the flower fades and withers in the evening.
YOUR fury consumes like fire, and we are helpless before YOUR anger,
Our evils lie before YOU, who scrutinize our hidden sins.
Our days pass away in YOUR wrath; our years are gone in no time.
Seventy years to our life, or eighty if we are strong; yet, most of them are sorrow and trouble; speeding by, they sweep us along.
Who knows the extent of YOUR anger? Who has seen the end of YOUR wrath?
So make us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain wisdom of heart.
How long will YOU be angry, O YAHWEH? Have mercy on YOUR servant.
Fill us at daybreak with YOUR goodness, that we may be glad all our days.
Make joy endure, as the misery did, and the years in which we were afflicted.
Let YOUR work be seen by YOUR servants and YOUR glorious power by their children.
May the sweetness of YAHWEH be upon us; may HE prosper the work of our hands."
- Psalm 90:1-17
Before the mountains were formed, before YOU made the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity - YOU are GOD.
YOU turn humans back to dust, saying, 'Return, O mortals!'
A thousand years in YOUR sight are like a day that has passed, or like a watch in the night.
YOU sow them in their time, at dawn they peep out. In the morning they blossom, but the flower fades and withers in the evening.
YOUR fury consumes like fire, and we are helpless before YOUR anger,
Our evils lie before YOU, who scrutinize our hidden sins.
Our days pass away in YOUR wrath; our years are gone in no time.
Seventy years to our life, or eighty if we are strong; yet, most of them are sorrow and trouble; speeding by, they sweep us along.
Who knows the extent of YOUR anger? Who has seen the end of YOUR wrath?
So make us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain wisdom of heart.
How long will YOU be angry, O YAHWEH? Have mercy on YOUR servant.
Fill us at daybreak with YOUR goodness, that we may be glad all our days.
Make joy endure, as the misery did, and the years in which we were afflicted.
Let YOUR work be seen by YOUR servants and YOUR glorious power by their children.
May the sweetness of YAHWEH be upon us; may HE prosper the work of our hands."
- Psalm 90:1-17
(The plural pronouns surely indicate that this psalm was sung in community. It hardly reads like a national song and the application is surely to the congregation as individuals. The 'anger' and 'wrath' of GOD have been used before [cf. Psalm 6:2] as a description of the brevity and the pain of life. Certainly, he can admire those who loved GOD without them. As these grew older, one might have thought, their love of GOD would weaken in proportion, since they had less to hope for. But, instead, it seemed to strengthen. Is this perhaps because the revelation was beginning to dawn already?
What is the meaning of our life? What are our values? We cannot elaborate a 'tomorrow' for ourselves, without counting on GOD. This psalm can help us.
Our days pass like a sigh. Our earthly life is short and frail before the face of the eternal GOD. HE is our refuge and can give meaning to our existence. Let us ask HIM to fill it with wisdom, which is to love HIM, praise HIM and serve HIM.)
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