This hymn, written by Isaac Watts and based on Psalm 90 and a lot of other scripture passages, makes a beautiful end-year prayer.
(We used to sing it to a much snappier tune in high school, though :))
O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home:
Beneath the shadow of thy throne
thy saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received its frame,
from everlasting thou art God,
to endless years the same.
A thousand ages in thy sight
are like an evening gone,
short as the watch that ends the night
before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever rolling stream,
bears all our years away;
they fly forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day.
Our God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our guard while life shall last,
and our eternal home.
For the Swahili speakers:
Mungu msaada wetu
Tangu miaka yote,
Ndiwe tumaini yetu
Ya zamani zote.
Kivuli cha kiti chako
Ndiyo ngome yetu,
Watosha mkono wako
Ni ulinzi wetu.
Kwanza havijakuwako
Nchi na milima,
Ndiwe Mungu; chini yako
Twakaa salama.
Na miaka elfu ni kama
Siku moja kwako;
Utatulinda daima
Tu wenyeji wako.
Binadamu huondoka,
Mwisho hana kitu;
Kama ndoto hutoweka
Ndiyo hali yetu.
Ila wewe Mungu wetu,
Ndiwe wa kudumu;
Ndiwe bora, ngome yetu
Twakaa dawamu.
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