Psalm 90 (Verses 1–6)
King James Version
The opening of Moses' prayer on the eternity of God and the brevity of human life.
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About this text
Psalm 90 is the only psalm in the whole collection attributed to Moses rather than David or one of the other named authors, and it's traditionally considered one of the oldest psalms in the book. This excerpt covers its opening reflection on God's eternity against the shortness of human life, a theme the rest of the psalm (not included here) develops into a request for wisdom in using the time that remains.
Verse 4's comparison — a thousand years being "as yesterday" or "as a watch in the night" — sets up the extended image in verses 5-6, where human life is compared to grass that flourishes in the morning and withers by evening. Copying those two verses together is a chance to see one metaphor built out carefully across two full sentences rather than mentioned once in passing.
What to watch for
- 3 semicolons: a semicolon joins two complete thoughts that belong together, a pause longer than a comma but shorter than a period.
- 1 colon: a colon points ahead to what explains or completes the first half of the sentence.
- Capital letters in the middle of a sentence: God, Return. Ask why each one is capitalized before typing it.
- Old-fashioned words: thou, art, ye, thy, groweth, flourisheth, withereth. These are easy to "correct" by accident into modern spelling, so copy them exactly as written.
- Longest word: "generations" (11 letters). Try spelling it aloud once before reaching it.
- 6 lines averaging about 18 words each. A comfortable line length for a single sitting.
Full text (reference)
1Lord, 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.