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A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our refuge in all generations.
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Before the mountains existed, And before the earth and the world were formed, Even from age to age, thou art.
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Turn not man back to his low place, Whereas thou saidst, Return, ye sons of men?
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For a thousand years in thy sight are As the yesterday which is past, And as a watch in the night.
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Years shall be vanity to them: Let the morning pass away as grass.
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In the morning let it flower, and pass away: In the evening let it droop, let it be withered and dried up.
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For we have perished in thine anger, And in thy wrath we have been troubled.
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Thou hast set our transgressions before thee: Our age is in the light of thy countenance.
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For all our days are gone, And we have passed away in thy wrath: Our years have spun out their tale as a spider.
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As for the days of our years, in them are seventy years; And if men should be in strength, eighty years: And the greater part of them would be labor and trouble; For weakness overtakes us, and we shall be chastened.
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Who knows the power of thy wrath?
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And who knows how to number his days Because of the fear of thy wrath? So manifest thy right hand, And those that are instructed in wisdom in the heart.
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Return, O Lord, how long? And be entreated concerning thy servants.
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We have been satisfied in the morning with thy mercy; And we did exult and rejoice:
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Let us rejoice in all our days, In return for the days wherein thou didst afflict us, The years wherein we saw evil.
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And look upon thy servants, and upon thy works; And guide their children.
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And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: And do thou direct for us the works of our hands.