BOOK IV From Everlasting to Everlasting 3 UDB When people die, you cause their corpses to become soil again; you change their corpses to become dirt like that from which the first man was created. BSB BSB: You return man to dust, saying, “Return, O sons of mortals.”
4 UDB When you consider time, a thousand years are as short as one day that passes; you consider that they are as short as a few hours in the night. BSB BSB: For in Your sight a thousand years are but a day that passes, or a watch of the night.
5 UDB You cause people to die suddenly; they live only a short time, as a dream lasts only a short time. They are like grass that grows up. BSB BSB: You sweep them away in their sleep; they are like the new grass of the morning—
6 UDB In the morning the grass sprouts and grows well, but in the evening it dries up and completely withers. BSB BSB: in the morning it springs up new, but by evening it fades and withers.
7 UDB Similarly, because of the sins that we commit, you become angry with us; you terrify us and then you destroy us. BSB BSB: For we are consumed by Your anger and terrified by Your wrath.
8 UDB It is as though you place our sins in front of you; you spread out even our secret sins where you can see them. BSB BSB: You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
9 UDB Because you are angry with us, you cause our lives to end; the years that we live pass as quickly as a sigh does. BSB BSB: For all our days decline in Your fury; we finish our years with a sigh.
10 UDB People live for only seventy years; if they are strong, some of them live for eighty years. But even during good years we have much pain and troubles; our lives soon end, and we die. BSB BSB: The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty if we are strong—yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
11 UDB No one has really experienced the powerful things you can do to them when you are angry with them, and people are not afraid that you will punish them when they sin. BSB BSB: Who knows the power of Your anger? Your wrath matches the fear You are due.
12 UDB So teach us to realize that we live for only a short time in order that we may use our time wisely. BSB BSB: So teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom.
13 UDB Yahweh, how long will you be angry with us? Pity us who serve you. BSB BSB: Return, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants.
14 UDB Each morning, show us that it is enough for us if you love us faithfully as you have promised you would do. Show us this so that we may shout joyfully and be happy all during the years that we live. BSB BSB: Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 UDB Cause us to be now as happy for as many years as you afflicted us and we experienced troubles. BSB BSB: Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 UDB Enable us to see the great things that you do, and enable our descendants to see your glorious power also. BSB BSB: May Your work be shown to Your servants, and Your splendor to their children.
17 UDB Lord, our God, give us your blessings and enable us to be successful; yes, cause us to be successful in everything that we do! BSB BSB: May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish for us the work of our hands—yes, establish the work of our hands!
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.