A Prayer of Moses the man of God.
1 LORD , thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations .
2 Before the mountains were brought forth , or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world , even from everlasting to everlasting , thou art God.
3 Thou turnest man to destruction ; and sayest , Return , ye children of men.
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past , and as a watch in the night .
5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood ; they are as a sleep : in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
6 In the morning it flourisheth , and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down , and withereth .
7 For we are consumed by thine anger , and by thy wrath are we troubled .
8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee , our secret sins in the light of thy countenance .
9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath : we spend our years as a tale that is told .
10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years , yet is their strength labour and sorrow ; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away .
11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger ? even according to thy fear , so is thy wrath .
12 So teach us to number our days , that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom .
13 Return , O LORD , how long ? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants .
14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy ; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days .
15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil .
16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants , and thy glory unto their children .
17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.