Religion
Psalm 90
Translated by George Wither (1632) · From The Psalmes of David Translated into Lyrick-Verse (1632)
LOrd, thou art alwaies our abode!
Before the world, beginning had
Thou wer't eternally our God;
Yea, long, e're heav'n & earth were made.
Thou say'st, yee sonns of men, returne;
And, streight return'd to dust they be:
As one nights watch, or day outworne,
So, are a thousand yeares to thee.
Thou, like a Floud (as in a dream)
Shalt sweep them suddenly away;
For, like the flowring grasse they seem,
That springs, & fadeth, in a day.
One frowne of thine, consumes vs quite;
Thy wrath, our troubles doth renewe;
Thou set'st our sinns before thy sight,
And, bring'st our secret faults to vewe.
Our tyme, through thy displeasure wears,
And, like a Tale that's told are wee,
Our life is done at seaventie years,
Or eighty, when wee strongest be.
For, all the rest wee spend in woe,
And, vanish e're wee be aware.
Thine Angers force, Lord, who doth knowe!
As is thy wrath, such is thy fear.
Instruct vs how to count our dayes,
That so, our harts may wisdome learne;
And, make thou, Lord, no long delaies,
But, pleased now, to me returne.
To vs, betimes, thy favour daigne,
That wee may all our life be glad,
And, dayes & years, of joye obtaine,
For those of greef, which wee have had.
Thy workings, let thy servants vewe,
Thy glories, let their Children see.
Oh Lord our God! thy Beautie shewe:
Still shining on vs, let it bee.
And, all our works (oh God) we pray,
Establish thou, & so direct;
That, well our labours prosper may,
And, blessed be with good effect.
Cite this poem
MLA
Wither, George. “Psalm 90.” Translated by George Wither. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wither/117/.
Chicago
Wither, George. “Psalm 90.” Translated by George Wither. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wither/117/.
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