Farewell Service

Hymns, readings and a printed program for a Christian funeral

Psalm 90

A reading from the 1928 Prayer Book burial service, with the full text in the King James Version and the Douay-Rheims.

Reads in about 2 minutes17 versesEpiscopal 1928

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King James Version

  1. 1LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
  2. 2Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
  3. 3Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
  4. 4For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
  5. 5Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
  6. 6In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
  7. 7For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
  8. 8Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
  9. 9For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
  10. 10The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
  11. 11Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
  12. 12So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
  13. 13Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
  14. 14O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
  15. 15Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
  16. 16Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
  17. 17And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Douay-Rheims

Psalm 89 in the Douay-Rheims numbering.

  1. 1A prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation.
  2. 2Before the mountains were made, or the earth and the world was formed; from eternity and to eternity thou art God.
  3. 3Turn not man away to be brought low: and thou hast said: Be converted, O ye sons of men.
  4. 4For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, which is past. And as a watch in the night,
  5. 5Things that are counted nothing, shall their years be.
  6. 6In 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.
  7. 7For in thy wrath we have fainted away: and are troubled in thy indignation.
  8. 8Thou hast set our iniquities before thy eyes: our life in the light of thy countenance.
  9. 9For all our days are spent; and in thy wrath we have fainted away. Our years shall be considered as a spider:
  10. 10The 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.
  11. 11Who knoweth the power of thy anger, and for thy fear
  12. 12Can number thy wrath? So make thy right hand known: and men learned in heart, in wisdom.
  13. 13Return, O Lord, how long? and be entreated in favour of thy servants.
  14. 14We are filled in the morning with thy mercy: and we have rejoiced, and are delighted all our days.
  15. 15We have rejoiced for the days in which thou hast humbled us: for the years in which we have seen evils.
  16. 16Look upon thy servants and upon their works: and direct their children.
  17. 17And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: and direct thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do thou direct.

Most Catholic parishes in the US read the New American Bible. Read Psalm 90 in the NABRE at usccb.org.

Where this reading is used

  • Episcopal: a psalm in the 1928 Prayer Book burial office
  • Protestant: a common funeral reading

Hymns based on it

Scripture: King James Version (1769 text) and Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision (Project Gutenberg #1581); both public domain. Citation as listed in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.