Psalm 90

This article is about Psalm 90 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 90 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 91.

Psalm 90 is the 90th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 89. In Latin, it is known as "Domine refugium tu factus es nobis in generatione et generatione".^[1] It is the opening psalm of Book 4 of the psalms.^[2] Uniquely among the Psalms, it is attributed to Moses. It is well known for its reference in verse 10 to human life expectancy being 70 or 80 ("threescore years and ten", or "if by reason of strength ... fourscore years", in the King James Version): it is believed that this verse was the influence for the opening words of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.^[3]

Psalm 90
"Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations"
Painting "Psalm 90. V. 10." (Psalm 90:10) by Ludwig Noster [de] (1909)
Other name	Psalm 89 "Domine refugium tu factus es nobis in generatione et generatione"
Written	by Ethan the Ezrahite
Text	attributed to Moses
Language	Hebrew (original)

Psalm 90
← Psalm 89 Psalm 91 →
Book	Book of Psalms
Hebrew Bible part	Ketuvim
Order in the Hebrew part	1
Category	Sifrei Emet
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	19

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic liturgies. It has been set to music, for example by Baroque composers Heinrich Schütz in German. Charles Ives completed a choral setting in 1924.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text^[4][5] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse	Hebrew	English translation (JPS 1917)
1	תְּפִלָּה֮ לְמֹשֶׁ֢ה אִֽישׁ־הָאֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים אֲֽדֹנָ֗י מָע֣וֹן אַ֭תָּה הָיִ֥יתָ לָּ֗נוּ בְּדֹ֣ר וָדֹֽר׃‎	A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations.
2	בְּטֶ֤רֶם ׀ הָ֘רִ֤ים יֻלָּ֗דוּ וַתְּח֣וֹלֵֽל אֶ֣רֶץ וְתֵבֵ֑ל וּֽמֵעוֹלָ֥ם עַד־ע֝וֹלָ֗ם אַתָּ֥ה אֵֽל׃‎	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	תָּשֵׁ֣ב אֱ֭נוֹשׁ עַד־דַּכָּ֑א וַ֝תֹּ֗אמֶר שׁ֣וּבוּ בְנֵֽי־אָדָֽם׃‎	Thou turnest man to contrition; And sayest: 'Return, ye children of men.'
4	כִּ֤י אֶ֪לֶף שָׁנִ֡ים בְּֽעֵינֶ֗יךָ כְּי֣וֹם אֶ֭תְמוֹל כִּ֣י יַֽעֲבֹ֑ר וְאַשְׁמוּרָ֥ה בַלָּֽיְלָה׃‎	For a thousand years in Thy sight Are but as yesterday when it is past, And as a watch in the night.
5	זְ֭רַמְתָּם שֵׁנָ֣ה יִהְי֑וּ בַּ֝בֹּ֗קֶר כֶּחָצִ֥יר יַחֲלֹֽף׃‎	Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep; In the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
6	בַּ֭בֹּקֶר יָצִ֣יץ וְחָלָ֑ף לָ֝עֶ֗רֶב יְמוֹלֵ֥ל וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃‎	In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; In the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
7	כִּֽי־כָלִ֥ינוּ בְאַפֶּ֑ךָ וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ נִבְהָֽלְנוּ׃‎	For we are consumed in Thine anger, And by Thy wrath are we hurried away.
8	שַׁתָּ֣ עֲוֺנֹתֵ֣ינוּ לְנֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ עֲ֝לֻמֵ֗נוּ לִמְא֥וֹר פָּנֶֽיךָ׃‎	Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee, Our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance.
9	כִּ֣י כׇל־יָ֭מֵינוּ פָּנ֣וּ בְעֶבְרָתֶ֑ךָ כִּלִּ֖ינוּ שָׁנֵ֣ינוּ כְמוֹ־הֶֽגֶה׃‎	For all our days are passed away in Thy wrath; We bring our years to an end as a tale that is told.
10	יְמֵֽי־שְׁנוֹתֵ֨ינוּ בָהֶ֥ם שִׁבְעִ֪ים שָׁנָ֡ה וְאִ֤ם בִּגְבוּרֹ֨ת ׀ שְׁמ֘וֹנִ֤ים שָׁנָ֗ה וְ֭רׇהְבָּם עָמָ֣ל וָאָ֑וֶן כִּי־גָ֥ז חִ֝֗ישׁ וַנָּעֻֽפָה׃‎	The days of our years are threescore years and ten, Or even by reason of strength fourscore years; Yet is their pride but travail and vanity; For it is speedily gone, and we fly away.
11	מִֽי־י֭וֹדֵעַ עֹ֣ז אַפֶּ֑ךָ וּ֝כְיִרְאָתְךָ֗ עֶבְרָתֶֽךָ׃‎	Who knoweth the power of Thine anger, And Thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto Thee?
12	לִמְנ֣וֹת יָ֭מֵינוּ כֵּ֣ן הוֹדַ֑ע וְ֝נָבִ֗א לְבַ֣ב חׇכְמָֽה׃‎	So teach us to number our days, That we may get us a heart of wisdom.
13	שׁוּבָ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה עַד־מָתָ֑י וְ֝הִנָּחֵ֗ם עַל־עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃‎	Return, O LORD; how long? And let it repent Thee concerning Thy servants.
14	שַׂבְּעֵ֣נוּ בַבֹּ֣קֶר חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ וּֽנְרַנְּנָ֥ה וְ֝נִשְׂמְחָ֗ה בְּכׇל־יָמֵֽינוּ׃‎	O satisfy us in the morning with Thy mercy; That we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15	שַׂ֭מְּחֵנוּ כִּימ֣וֹת עִנִּיתָ֑נוּ שְׁ֝נ֗וֹת רָאִ֥ינוּ רָעָֽה׃‎	Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou hast afflicted us, According to the years wherein we have seen evil.
16	יֵרָאֶ֣ה אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ פׇעֳלֶ֑ךָ וַ֝הֲדָרְךָ֗ עַל־בְּנֵיהֶֽם׃‎	Let Thy work appear unto Thy servants, And Thy glory upon their children.
17	וִיהִ֤י ׀ נֹ֤עַם אֲדֹנָ֥י אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ עָ֫לֵ֥ינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָ֭דֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָ֥ה עָלֵ֑ינוּ וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֝דֵ֗ינוּ כּוֹנְנֵֽהוּ׃‎	And let the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us; Establish Thou also upon us the work of our hands; Yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it.

King James Version

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.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).^[6]

The extant manuscript of Aq^Taylor, a translation into Koine Greek made in c. 130 CE, contains verse 17.^[7]

Authorship and date

By its header ("A Prayer of Moses, the man of God") this psalm is attributed to Moses. Theologian Albert Barnes notes "its marked unlikeness to the Psalms of David".^[8] Commentator C S Rodd suggests it was written later than Moses' era,^[9] but even from a biblical literalist perspective one writer warns against assuming with any certainty that this is the oldest psalm, because some psalms are anonymous and so "we don't know who wrote them or when".^[10]

The title "the man of God" is given to Moses in Deuteronomy 33:1 in the introduction to the Blessing of Moses. The term also appears in Joshua 14:6 and Ezra 3:2 as a title especially appropriate to him, denoting that he was faithful to God and a man approved by God.^[8]

Uses

Judaism

• Psalm 90 is recited during the Pesukei Dezimra during Shabbat, Yom Tov, and - in many communities - on Hoshana Rabbah.^[11]
• It is recited on Shabbat Nachamu (the Shabbat after Tisha B'Av) in some traditions.^[12]
• Verse 17 is recited following Motzei Shabbat Maariv^[13] and the first paragraph of the Shema during bedtime prayers.^[14]
• Psalm 90 is one of the ten psalms of the Tikkun HaKlali of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.^[15][16]

New Testament

In the New Testament, verse 4 is quoted in 2 Peter 3:8.^[17]

Christianity

In the Divine Office of the Roman Catholic Church, Psalm 90 is appointed to be read at Lauds (Morning Prayer) on the Monday of the fourth week of the month.

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the 18th day of the month.^[18]

Musical settings

The hymn O God, our help in ages past" is a lyrical version of Psalm 90 written by Isaac Watts.

Heinrich Schütz set the psalm in a metred version in German as part of the Becker Psalter, first published in 1628, "Herr Gott Vater im höchsten Thron", SWV 188.

Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote Lord, thou hast been our refuge, a motet for choir, semi-choir and orchestra (or organ) based on the psalm in 1921. Charles Ives composed a choral setting of the psalm in English, Psalm 90, in 1923/24. Frederic Lord wrote a setting for baritone, choir and orchestra.^[19] Herbert Blendinger set verses 1-4 in German, "Herr, du bist unsere Zuflucht für und für", as Psalmgebet, a solo cantata for soprano, trumpet and organ, Op. 82, in 2000.

References

1. Parallel Latin/English Psalter, Psalmus 89 (90). Archived 2017-05-07 at the Wayback Machine Medievalist.
2. Psalm 90: header to this psalm in the New King James Version
3. "Gettysburg Address: The lost art of the quotable speech". CNN.com. 19 November 2013.
4. "Psalms – Chapter 90". Mechon Mamre.
5. "Psalms 90 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
6. Würthwein 1995, pp. 35–37.
7. Schürer, Emil; Vermes, Geza; Millar, Fergus (2014). The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ. Vol. 3.i. A&C Black. p. 497. ISBN 978-0567604521.
8. Barnes, A., Barnes' Notes on Psalm 90, accessed 26 March 2022
9. Rodd, C. S., 18. Psalms in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), The Oxford Bible Commentary Archived 2017-11-22 at the Wayback Machine, p. 391
10. Growing Christians Ministries, Psalm 90, published 5 October 2012, accessed 3 January 2021
11. Zlotowitz 1990, p. 378.
12. Danziger & Scherman 1989, p. 329.
13. Zlotowitz 1990, p. 595.
14. Zlotowitz 1990, p. 291.
15. Weintraub, Rabbi Simkha Y. (2018). "Psalms as the Ultimate Self-Help Tool". My Jewish Learning. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
16. Greenbaum, Rabbi Avraham (2007). "The Ten Psalms: English Translation". azamra.org. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
17. Kirkpatrick 1901.
18. Church of England, Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter as printed by John Baskerville in 1762, pp. 196ff
19. Margaret Frazer. "Frederic Lord". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 2010-01-16.

Sources

• Danziger, Hillel; Scherman, Nosson (1989). The ArtScroll Tehillim: Psalms. Mesorah Publications. ISBN 978-0-89906-673-8.
• Kirkpatrick, A. F. (1901). The Book of Psalms: with Introduction and Notes. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Vol. Book IV and V: Psalms XC-CL. Cambridge: University Press. p. 839.
• Würthwein, Ernst (1995). The Text of the Old Testament. Translated by Rhodes, Erroll F. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-0788-7. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
• Zlotowitz, Meir (1990). Siddur: The Complete ArtScroll Siddur : English & Hebrew. Mesorah Publications. ISBN 978-0-89906-650-9.

External links

• Pieces with text from Psalm 90: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Psalm 90: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Text of Psalm 90 according to the 1928 Psalter
• Psalms Chapter 90 text in Hebrew and English, mechon-mamre.org
• A prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, you have been our refuge through all generations. text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Psalm 90 – The Prayer of Moses in the Wilderness text and detailed commentary, enduringword.com
• Psalm 90:1 introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
• Psalm 90 / Refrain: O Lord my God, in you I take refuge. Church of England
• Psalm 90 at biblegateway.com
• Hymns for Psalm 90 hymnary.org