Moses Prays to the Everlasting Father
A prayer of Moses, the man of our Father.
Moses sets a human life beside his everlasting Father: a thousand years pass like last night's watch, and people are swept off like morning grass. He does not ask for more days but for the sense to count them, and for gladness matching the years of trouble.
90 1Sovereign Father, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2Before the mountains were born, or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are our Father.
3You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return, children of mankind."
4For 1,000 years in your sight are like a day already gone, like a watch in the night. 5You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that springs up in the morning, 6in the morning it flourishes and springs up; by evening it fades and withers.
7For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. 8You have set our wrongdoing before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9For all our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years like a sigh. 10We live for seventy years, or eighty if our strength holds; yet they bring nothing but toil and trouble—they quickly pass, and we fly away. 11Who knows the power of your anger? Your wrath is as great as the fear you deserve. 12Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13Return, our Father! How long? Have compassion on your servants. 14Satisfy us in the morning with your covenant love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. 15Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. 16Let your servants see your work, and let their children see your splendor.
17Let the favor of the Sovereign Father be upon us; establish for us the work of our hands—yes, establish the work of our hands.
