Psalms

Psalm 90:2–4

²Before the mountains were born

or You brought forth the earth and the world,

from everlasting to everlasting

You are God.

³You return man to dust,

saying, “Return, O sons of mortals.”

⁴For in Your sight a thousand years

are but a day that passes,^a

or a watch of the night.

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Before	בְּטֶ֤רֶם׀	bə·ṭe·rem	Preposition-b; Adverb	H2962 not yet, ere, before that
the mountains	הָ֘רִ֤ים	hā·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
were born	יֻלָּ֗דוּ	yul·lā·ḏū	Verb - QalPass - Perfect - third person common plural	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
or You brought forth	וַתְּח֣וֹלֵֽל	wat·tə·ḥō·w·lêl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular	H2342 whirl, dance, writhe
the earth	אֶ֣רֶץ	’e·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
and the world	וְתֵבֵ֑ל	wə·ṯê·ḇêl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H8398 world
from everlasting	וּֽמֵעוֹלָ֥ם	ū·mê·‘ō·w·lām	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
to	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
everlasting	ע֝וֹלָ֗ם	‘ō·w·lām	Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
You	אַתָּ֥ה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
are God	אֵֽל׃	’êl	Noun - masculine singular	H410 god

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You return	תָּשֵׁ֣ב	tā·šêḇ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
man	אֱ֭נוֹשׁ	’ĕ·nō·wōš	Noun - masculine singular	H582 man, mankind
to	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
dust	דַּכָּ֑א	dak·kā	Noun - masculine singular	H1793 contrite
saying	וַ֝תֹּ֗אמֶר	wat·tō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Return	שׁ֣וּבוּ	šū·ḇū	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H7725 turn back, return
O sons	בְנֵי־	ḇə·nê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
of mortals	אָדָֽם׃	’ā·ḏām	Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
in Your sight	בְּֽעֵינֶ֗יךָ	bə·‘ê·ne·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - cdc; second person masculine singular	H5869 eye
a thousand	אֶ֪לֶף	’e·lep̄	Number - masculine singular construct	H505 thousand
years	שָׁנִ֡ים	šā·nîm	Noun - feminine plural	H8141 year
are but	כְּי֣וֹם	kə·yō·wm	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
a day	אֶ֭תְמוֹל	’eṯ·mō·wl	Adverb	H865 heretofore, yesterday
that	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
passes	יַעֲבֹ֑ר	ya·‘ă·ḇōr	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
or a watch	וְאַשְׁמוּרָ֥ה	wə·’aš·mū·rāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H821 watch
of the night	בַלָּֽיְלָה׃	ḇal·lā·yə·lāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Psalm 90:2 Hebrews 13:8 · Genesis 1:1 · Psalm 102:24–27 · Revelation 1:8 · Psalm 93:2 · 1 Timothy 6:15–16 · Hebrews 1:10–12 · Psalm 33:9 · Habakkuk 1:12 · Isaiah 44:6 · Psalm 146:6 · Isaiah 57:15

Psalm 90:3 Genesis 3:19 · Ecclesiastes 12:7 · Job 34:14–15 · Psalm 146:4 · Numbers 14:35 · Psalm 104:29 · Job 12:10 · Genesis 6:6–7

Psalm 90:4 2 Peter 3:8 · Psalm 39:5 · Matthew 24:43 · Luke 12:38 · Matthew 14:25

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.