PSALTERIVM

PSALMVS LXXXIX — DOMINE REFVGIVM

Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Refuge

Domine refugium factus es nobis is Moses's meditation on human mortality and divine eternity. The famous comparison of human life to grass that flourishes in the morning and withers by evening frames the prayer for wisdom to 'number our days.' In the 1962 Breviary it appears at Prime and in the Office of the Dead. Its sobering realism makes it appropriate for funerals.

LATINE
Domine, refugium factus es nobis a generatione in generationem.
Priusquam montes fierent, aut formaretur terra, et orbis: a saeculo et usque in saeculum tu es Deus.
Ne avertas hominem in humilitatem: et dixisti: Convertimini, filii hominum.
Quoniam mille anni ante oculos tuos, tamquam dies hesterna, quae praeteriit.
Et custodia in nocte, quae pro nihilo habentur, eorum anni erunt.
Mane sicut herba transeat, mane floreat, et transeat: vespere decidat, induret et arescat.
Quia defecimus in ira tua, et in furore tuo turbati sumus.
Posuisti iniquitates nostras in conspectu tuo: saeculum nostrum in illuminatione vultus tui.
Quoniam omnes dies nostri defecerunt: et in ira tua defecimus.
Anni nostri sicut aranea meditabuntur: dies annorum nostrorum in ipsis, septuaginta anni.
Si autem in potentatibus, octoginta anni: et amplius eorum, labor et dolor.
Quoniam supervenit mansuetudo: et corripiemur.
Quis novit potestatem irae tuae: et prae timore tuo iram tuam dinumerare?
Dexteram tuam sic notam fac: et eruditos corde in sapientia.
Convertere, Domine, usquequo? et deprecabilis esto super servos tuos.
ENGLISH
Lord, thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation.
Before the mountains were made, or the earth and the world was formed; from eternity and to eternity thou art God.
Turn not man away to be brought low: and thou hast said: Be converted, O ye sons of men.
For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, which is past.
And as a watch in the night, things that are counted nothing, shall their years be.
In the morning man shall grow up like grass; in the morning he shall flourish and pass away: in the evening he shall fall, grow dry, and wither.
For in thy wrath we have fainted away: and are troubled in thy indignation.
Thou hast set our iniquities before thy eyes: our life in the light of thy countenance.
For all our days are spent; and in thy wrath we have fainted away.
Our years shall be considered as a spider: the days of our years in them are threescore and ten years.
But if in the strong they be fourscore years: and what is more of them is labour and sorrow.
For mildness is come upon us: and we shall be corrected.
Who knoweth the power of thy anger, and for thy fear can number thy wrath?
So make thy right hand known: and men learned in heart, in wisdom.
Return, O Lord, how long? and be entreated in favour of thy servants.
NOTA
FONS
Douay-Rheims (1609) / Vulgata
USUS
Funeral rites, Office of the Dead, New Year
CONTEXT
Psalm 90 in Hebrew numbering. The only psalm attributed to Moses. 'Threescore and ten' (70 years) became the traditional human lifespan. Cited by 2 Peter 3:8.