Psalms 90:13-17

Context

90:13 Turn back toward us, O Lord!

How long must this suffering last?¹

Have pity on your servants!²

90:14 Satisfy us in the morning³ with your loyal love!

Then we will shout for joy and be happy⁴ all our days!

90:15 Make us happy in proportion to the days you have afflicted us,

in proportion to the years we have experienced⁵ trouble!

90:16 May your servants see your work!⁶

May their sons see your majesty!⁷

90:17 May our sovereign God extend his favor to us!⁸

Make our endeavors successful!

Yes, make them successful!⁹

[90:13] ¹tn Heb “Return, O Lord! How long?”

[90:13] ²tn Elsewhere the Niphal of נָחַם (nakham) + the preposition עַל (’al) + a personal object has the nuance “be comforted concerning [the personal object’s death]” (see 2 Sam 13:39; Jer 31:15). However, here the context seems to demand “feel sorrow for,” “have pity on.” In Deut 32:36 and Ps 135:14, where “servants” is also the object of the preposition, this idea is expressed with the Hitpael form of the verb.

[90:14] ³sn Morning is used metaphorically for a time of renewed joy after affliction (see Pss 30:5; 46:5; 49:14; 59:16; 143:8).

[90:14] ⁴tn After the imperative (see the preceding line) the cohortatives with the prefixed conjunction indicate purpose/result.

[90:15] ⁵tn Heb “have seen.”

[90:16] ⁶tn Heb “may your work be revealed to your servants.” In this context (note v. 17) the verb form יֵרָאֶה (yera’eh) is best understood as an unshortened jussive (see Gen 1:9; Isa 47:3).

[90:16] ⁷tn Heb “and your majesty to their sons.” The verb “be revealed” is understood by ellipsis in the second line.

[90:17] ⁸tn Heb “and may the delight of the Master, our God, be on us.” The Hebrew term נֹעַם (no’am, “delight”) is used in Ps 27:4 of the Lord’s “beauty,” but here it seems to refer to his favor (see BDB 653 s.v.) or kindness (HALOT 706 s.v.).

[90:17] ⁹tn Heb “and the work of our hands establish over us, and the work of our hands, establish it.”