The big picture
Psalms 90 opens in verse 1 with “Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 9 with “For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is…”, and closes in verse 17 with “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our…” Repeated or prominent terms include years, days, LORD, work, wrath. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 17Psalms 90:1-6
1–6: Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
Psalms 90:1–6 opens with “Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.” and reaches “In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 90 develops its own movement around years, days, LORD, work, wrath, with particular weight carried by everlasting, groweth, morning.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.” The verse names Lord rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
Psalms 90:1-6
King James Version1Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
4For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
5Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
6In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
Psalms 90:7-12
7–12: For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
Psalms 90:7–12 opens with “For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.” and reaches “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 90 develops its own movement around years, days, LORD, work, wrath, with particular weight carried by years, days, wrath.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Psalms 90:7-12
King James Version7For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
8Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
9For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
10The 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.
11Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
12So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psalms 90:13-17
13–17: Return, O LORD , how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy…
Psalms 90:13–17 opens with “Return, O LORD , how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.” and reaches “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 90 develops its own movement around years, days, LORD, work, wrath, with particular weight carried by work, days, establish.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
Psalms 90:13-17
King James Version13Return, O LORD , how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
14O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
16Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
17And 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 90:1 begins with “Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 90:11 forms a natural hinge: “Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.”
The final note
Psalms 90:17 leaves the reader with “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.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words years, days, LORD, work, wrath, anger help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.