The First Six Verses of the Ninetieth Psalm Vers
The poem praises Thou, the first and greatest friend of the human race, whose strong right hand has always been their stay and dwelling place. Before the mountains rose and the globe appeared at Thy command, Thou hadst already been the same through countless, unbeginning time, raising and sustaining the universal frame. Years that seem vast to human beings are no more than yesterday before Thy sight. At Thy word, man is brought into existence and returned into nought; all human cares are laid in everlasting sleep and swept away like a flood. Humanity flourishes like a beautiful morning flower, yet before night it is cut down, withered, and decayed.
By Robert Burns · First published 1786 · Genre: Religious Poetry, Psalm Paraphrase, Hymn · 245 words
First lines
O Thou, the first, the greatest friend / Of all the human race! / Whose strong right hand has ever been / Their stay and dwelling place!
Before the mountains heav'd their heads / Beneath Thy forming hand, / Before this ponderous globe itself / Arose at Thy command;
That Pow'r which rais'd and still upholds / This universal frame, / From countless, unbeginning time / Was ever still the same.
Those mighty periods of years / Which seem to us so vast, / Appear no more before Thy sight / Than yesterday that's past.
Similar titles
- The Moon Has But A Borrowd Light by John Newton
- When The Sun With Cheerful Beams by John Newton
- Canticles 1 3 by John Newton
- Breathe From The Gentle South Lord by John Newton
- Hymn To God My God In My Sickness by John Donne
- Prepare A Thankful Song by John Newton
Genres
- Religious Poetry — The poem is a devotional verse adaptation of Psalm 90, addressing God directly and meditating on divine power, human mortality, and dependence on God.
- Psalm Paraphrase — It closely versifies the opening passages of the biblical Ninetieth Psalm, recasting scriptural ideas into rhymed English stanzas.
- Hymn — Its regular stanzaic form, elevated diction, direct address to God, and worshipful tone suit congregational or private devotional singing.
- Devotional Poetry — The work encourages reverence and reflection through praise of God's eternity, creative authority, and protection of humanity.
Tags
devotional poetry · psalm paraphrase · Christian hymn · God's eternity · divine omnipotence · divine providence · creation · creation of the world · mountains · human mortality · frailty of humanity · brevity of life
What this Textopian page supports
The First Six Verses of the Ninetieth Psalm Versified is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1786 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Burns
- Date: 1786 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious Poetry, Psalm Paraphrase, Hymn, Devotional Poetry, Sacred Poetry
- Length: 245 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The First Six Verses of the Ninetieth Psalm Versified by Robert Burns
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph