Psalms 90:3

You make mankind return ¹  to the dust, ²  and say, “Return, O people!”

You turn men back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, O sons of men."

You turn man back into dust And say, "Return, O children of men."

You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return to dust!"

So don't return us to mud, saying, "Back to where you came from!"

You send man back to his dust; and say, Go back, you children of men.

You turn us back to dust, and say, "Turn back, you mortals."

You turn man to destruction, And say, "Return, O children of men."

You make mankind return ¹  to the dust, ²  and say, “Return, O people!”

¹ tn In this context the shortened prefix form does not function as a preterite, but indicates what is typical of the world.

² tn The Hebrew term דַּכָּא (daka’) carries the basic sense of “crushed.” Elsewhere it refers to those who are “crushed” in spirit or contrite of heart (see Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15). If one understands this nuance here, then v. 3 is observing that God leads mankind to repentance (the term שׁוּב, shuv, “return,” which appears twice in this verse, is sometimes used of repentance.) However, the following context laments mankind’s mortality and the brevity of life, so it is doubtful if v. 3 should be understood so positively. It is more likely that דַּכָּא here refers to “crushed matter,” that is, the dust that fills the grave (see HALOT 221 s.v. s.v. I דַּכָּא; BDB 194 s.v. דַּכָּא). In this case one may hear an echo of Gen 3:19.