1 L ord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

Lord, You have been the place of comfort for all people of all time.

2 B efore the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

Before the mountains were born, before You gave birth to the earth and the world, forever and ever, You are God.

3 T hou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

You change man into dust again, and say, “Return, O children of men.”

4 F or a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

For a thousand years in Your eyes are like yesterday when it passes by, or like the hours of the night.

5 T hou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

You carry men away as with a flood. They fall asleep. In the morning they are like the new grass that grows.

6 I n the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

It grows well in the morning, but dries up and dies by evening.

7 F or we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

For we are burned up by Your anger. By Your anger we are troubled and afraid.

8 T hou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

You have set our wrong-doing before You, our secret sins in the light of Your face.

9 F or all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

For all our days pass away in Your anger. We finish our years with a quiet cry.

10 T he 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.

The days of our life are seventy years, or eighty if we have the strength. Yet the best of them are only hard work and sorrow. For they are soon gone and we fly away.

11 W ho knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

Who understands the power of Your anger? Your anger is as great as the fear that we should have for You.

12 S o teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Teach us to understand how many days we have. Then we will have a heart of wisdom to give You.

13 R eturn, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

Return, O Lord. How long will it be? Have pity upon those who work for You.

14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Fill us in the morning with Your loving-kindness. Let us sing for joy and be glad all our days.

15 M ake us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

Make us glad for as many days as You have made us suffer, and for the years we have seen trouble.

16 L et thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.

Let Your work be shown to Your servants. And let Your wonderful greatness be shown to their children.

17 A nd 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.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us. And make the work of our hands stand strong. Yes, make the work of our hands stand strong.