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1O Lord, you have been our protector through all generations![#tn Or “place of safety.” See Ps 71:3.]
2Even before the mountains came into existence,[#tn Heb “were born.”]
or you brought the world into being,
you were the eternal God.
3You make mankind return to the dust,[#tn In this context the shortened prefix form does not function as a preterite, but indicates what is typical of the world.; #tn The Hebrew term דַּכָּא (daka’) carries the basic sense of “crushed.” Elsewhere it refers to those who are “crushed” in spirit or contrite of heart (see Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15). If one understands this nuance here, then v. 3 is observing that God leads mankind to repentance (the term שׁוּב, shuv, “return,” which appears twice in this verse, is sometimes used of repentance.) However, the following context laments mankind’s mortality and the brevity of life, so it is doubtful if v. 3 should be understood so positively. It is more likely that דַּכָּא here refers to “crushed matter,” that is, the dust that fills the grave (see HALOT 221 s.v. s.v. I דַּכָּא; BDB 194 s.v. דַּכָּא). In this case one may hear an echo of Gen 3:19.]
and say, “Return, O people!”
4Yes, in your eyes a thousand years[#tn Or “for.”]
are like yesterday that quickly passes,
or like one of the divisions of the nighttime.
5You bring their lives to an end and they “fall asleep.”[#tn Heb “you bring them to an end [with] sleep.” The Hebrew verb זָרַם (zaram) has traditionally been taken to mean “flood” or “overwhelm” (note the Polel form of a root זרם in Ps 77:17, where the verb is used of the clouds pouring down rain). However, the verb form here is Qal, not Polel, and is better understood as a homonym meaning “to make an end [of life].” The term שֵׁנָה (shenah, “sleep”) can be taken as an adverbial accusative; it is a euphemism here for death (see Ps 76:5-6).]
In the morning they are like the grass that sprouts up;
6in the morning it glistens and sprouts up;[#tn Or “flourishes.” The verb is used of a crown shining in Ps 132:18. Perhaps here in Ps 90:6 it refers to the glistening of the grass in the morning dew.]
at evening time it withers and dries up.
7Yes, we are consumed by your anger;[#tn Or “for.”]
we are terrified by your wrath.
8You are aware of our sins;[#tn Heb “you set our sins in front of you.”]
you even know about our hidden sins.
9Yes, throughout all our days we experience your raging fury;[#tn Or “for.”; #tn Heb “all our days pass by in your anger.”]
the years of our lives pass quickly, like a sigh.
10The days of our lives add up to seventy years,[#tn Heb “the days of our years, in them [are] seventy years.”]
or eighty, if one is especially strong.
But even one’s best years are marred by trouble and oppression.
Yes, they pass quickly and we fly away.
11Who can really fathom the intensity of your anger?[#tn Heb “Who knows the strength of your anger?”]
Your raging fury causes people to fear you.
12So teach us to consider our mortality,[#tn Heb “to number our days,” that is, to be aware of how few they really are.]
so that we might live wisely.
13Turn back toward us, O Lord !
How long must this suffering last?
Have pity on your servants!
14Satisfy us in the morning with your loyal love![#sn Morning is used metaphorically for a time of renewed joy after affliction (see Pss 30:5; 46:5; 49:14; 59:16; 143:8).]
Then we will shout for joy and be happy all our days!
15Make us happy in proportion to the days you have afflicted us,
in proportion to the years we have experienced trouble!
16May your servants see your work![#tn Heb “may your work be revealed to your servants.” In this context (note v. 17) the verb form יֵרָאֶה (yera’eh) is best understood as an unshortened jussive (see Gen 1:9; Isa 47:3).]
May their sons see your majesty!
17May our sovereign God extend his favor to us![#tn Heb “and may the delight of the Master, our God, be on us.” The Hebrew term נֹעַם (no’am, “delight”) is used in Ps 27:4 of the Lord’s “beauty,” but here it seems to refer to his favor (see BDB 653 s.v.) or kindness (HALOT 706 s.v.).]
Make our endeavors successful!
Yes, make them successful!