Return

 

from Psalm 90

Lord, we have made our home in You
as long as time can tell
before You raised the lofty view
when mountains’ shadows fell
before You shaped the quiet earth
that void and formless lay
and brought Creation into birth
when darkness turned to day

from age to age You are Most High
and call us ever home
“Return,” Your Spirit softly cries
as dust to dust we come
an aeon passes in Your sight
as though a day gone by
the years like yesterday take flight
and leave us as they fly

like troubled dreams You sweep away
the bearers of Your Name
who felt the living warmth of day
before the evening came
the strong green blades the summer yields
are bowing now with grief
when withered is the pasture-field
and fallen is the leaf

the winter of this barren world
we many seasons stood
but with Your anger on us hurled
the rot creeps in the wood
our wrongs we may no longer hide
when Glory stands around
the lawless hurt, the subtle pride
that in our hearts are found

as all our days we rush to spend
like sand through burnished glass
we bring them to their faltering end
under Your darkened face
for ten-times seven years we last
or if we’re stronger, eight
but wrung with pain and burdencast
to rise with You we wait

for who can think of You aright
and keep a holy fear
or feel Your searing blaze of light
and know Your presence near
so teach us each to number true
the days we have to be
Return, O Lord! Show pity to
poor servants such as we

great God of power, teach us how
to trace Your hand in all
a vision true to us allow
as on Your Name we call
let favor from Your righteous hand
rest on our trembling brow
in mercy make our work to stand
and purest grace endow

Photo credit: Pierre Pellegrini