Psalms 90:1–4
Moses prays: before the mountains were born, God already was; a thousand years are like yesterday
Study it word by word1A prayer of Moses, the man of Elohim. Adonai, you have been a dwelling place for us from generation to generation.
2Before the mountains were born, or you gave birth to the earth and the world, even from forever to forever you are El.
3You turn back the mortal to dust, and say, “Return, human beings.”
4For a thousand years in your eyes are like the day of yesterday when it passes, and like a watch in the night.
In its context
…
5You sweep them away; they are a sleep; in the morning they are like grass that is renewed;
6in the morning it blooms and is renewed; in the evening it withers and dries up.
Its words in the original
- תְּפִלָּהtefila· prayer
Prayer: words addressed to God to ask, to intercede or to praise. Several psalms bear this name.
- מֹשֶׁהmoshe· Moses
Moses, the man God called to bring Israel out of Egypt and through whom he gave the Law. His name sounds like "draw out" (Exodus 2:10).
- אִישׁish· man, husband, each
Man, male; with a possessive, husband. Also "each one", "anyone". It is "ish", distinct from "adam" (human being); it is used for the man in contrast with the woman ("ishah").
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- אֲדֹנָadona· Adonai, Lord
"Adonai": "my Lord", said only to God. It is a title of respect that acknowledges his authority. It is not another god besides YHWH: often it goes with his name, "Adonai YHWH", Lord YHWH.
- מָעוֹןmaon· dwelling, lair
Dwelling: the place where someone lives; often the heavens or the sanctuary where God dwells; also the lair of jackals.
- הָיִיתָhayita· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- דֹרdor· generation
Generation: the people who live in the same period; also an age, "all generations".
- טֶרֶםterem· not yet, before
Not yet; before.
- הָרִיםharim· mountain, hill country
Mountain, hill; hill country.
- יֻלָּדוּyuladu· bear, father
Give birth, bear children; said of the father, "father" or "beget". In some forms, help at a birth (midwife) or be born.
- תְּחוֹלֵלtecholel· writhe; wait
Writhe, tremble, be in labor pains; also dance. In another form, wait anxiously.
- אֶרֶץerets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- תֵבֵלtevel· world
The world: the inhabited earth.
- עוֹלָםolam· forever, eternal
A very long time whose end cannot be seen: looking forward, "forever"; looking back, "of old", "ancient".
- אֵלel· El, God, god
"El", an ancient Hebrew word for "God". Alone or with another title it is a name of the God of Israel: El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty). Neighboring peoples used the same word for their gods; then this translation writes "god" in lower case. It also means "mighty".
- תָּשֵׁבtashev· return, turn back
Turn back, return. Also turn away; in the causative form, bring back, give back, answer. Figuratively, turn back to God (change course). Often adverbial: "again".
- אֱנוֹשׁenosh· man, mortal
Man, mortal: the human being seen in his weakness; also people in general.
- דַּכָּאdaka· crushed, contrite
Crushed, broken: ground to dust; of a person, one who is broken within.
- תֹּאמֶרtomer· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- בְנֵיvene· son
Son. In the plural it can include sons and daughters, and also grandsons and descendants. "Son of..." also says what group someone belongs to ("sons of Israel" = Israelites).
- אָדָםadam· human being, man, Adam
The Hebrew word "adam". It has three uses: (1) humanity in general, men and women alike: "human beings" (Genesis 1:27); (2) a particular man; in Genesis 2-4, the first man, "the man"; (3) the personal name of that first man, "Adam". In Hebrew "adam" sounds like "adamah", the ground he was formed from (Genesis 2:7).
- אֶלֶףelef· thousand
Thousand.
- שָׁנִיםshanim· year
Year.
- עֵינֶיene· eye
Eye. "In someone's eyes" means "in his opinion"; "find favor in the eyes of" is to please him. Also a spring of water.
- יוֹםyom· day
Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").
- אֶתְמוֹלetmol· yesterday, before
Yesterday; together with "the day before" it forms the expression "before", "in the past".
- יַעֲבֹרyaavor· pass, cross over
Pass by, pass through, cross over; also go beyond, transgress (a command). In the causative form, make pass, bring across, take away.
- אַשְׁמוּרָהashmura· night watch
Watch: each of the parts into which the night was divided; the morning watch was the last, before dawn.
- לָּיְלָהlayla· night
Night.