Helon wept, whether in joy or sorrow he himself scarcely knew—but such tears are of a higher kind. He threw himself upon the grave, and long remained there praying and weeping. Elisama too gave free vent to his tears. “Arise,” he said, at length, to Helon, “and let us repeat together the 90th psalm. Thy father will answer thee in this song of Moses, and bless thee in the words of the man of God.” Helon arose, and they both said together, Lord, thou hast been our refuge From generation to generation. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst fashioned the earth and the world, From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God! Thou turnest man to destruction, And sayest, Return ye children of men: For a thousand years are in thy sight As yesterday when it is past, And as a watch in the night. Thou sweepest them away; they sleep. In the morning they are as grass that groweth up, In the morning it is green and flourishing, In the evening it is cut down and withereth. For we are consumed by thine anger, And by thy wrath we are troubled. Thou settest our iniquities before thee, Our secret deeds in the light of thy countenance. Our days are wasted by thy anger, Our years are spent as a breath. The 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 flee away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger Which is terrible that thou mayest be feared? So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Return to us, O Jehovah—how long? Be again gracious to thy servants. O! satisfy us speedily with thy mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, And the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants And thy glory unto their children. May the favour of the Lord our God be upon us And prosper thou the work of our hands; Yea, the work of our hands may thy goodness prosper!