Numbering Our Days

Book Four

From Everlasting to Everlasting

A sPrayer of Moses, the tman of God.

¹Lord, you have been our udwelling place1

in all generations.

²vBefore the wmountains were brought forth,

or ever you had formed the earth and the world,

xfrom everlasting to everlasting you are God.

³You return man to dust

and say, y“Return, zO children of man!”2

⁴For aa thousand years in your sight

are but as byesterday when it is past,

or as ca watch in the night.

⁵You dsweep them away as with a flood; they are like ea dream,

like fgrass that is renewed in the morning:

⁶in ithe morning it flourishes and is renewed;

in the evening it jfades and kwithers.

⁷For we are brought to an end by your anger;

by your wrath we are dismayed.

⁸You have lset our iniquities before you,

our msecret sins in the light of your presence.

⁹For all our days pass away under your wrath;

we bring our years to an end like a sigh.

¹⁰The years of our life are seventy,

or even by reason of strength eighty;

yet their span3 is but toil and trouble;

they are soon gone, and we fly away.

¹¹Who considers the power of your anger,

and your wrath according to the fear of you?

¹²nSo teach us to number our days

that we may get a heart of wisdom.

¹³oReturn, O Lord! pHow long?

Have qpity on your servants!

¹⁴Satisfy us in the smorning with your steadfast love,

that we may trejoice and be glad all our days.

¹⁵Make us glad for as many days as you have uafflicted us,

and for as many years as we have seen evil.

¹⁶Let your vwork be shown to your servants,

and your glorious power to their children.

¹⁷Let the xfavor4 of the Lord our God be upon us,

and establish ythe work of our hands upon us;

yes, establish the work of our hands!