Psalms 102
102
Psalm 102
A prayer by someone who is suffering, when he is weary and pours out his troubles in the Lord’s presence.
1O Lord, hear my prayer,
and let my cry for help come to you.
2Do not hide your face from me when I am in trouble.
Turn your ear toward me.
Answer me quickly when I call.
3My days disappear like smoke.
My bones burn like hot coals.
4My heart is beaten down and withered like grass
because I have forgotten about eating.
5I am nothing but skin and bones
because of my loud groans.
6I am like a desert owl,
like an owl living in the ruins.
7I lie awake.
I am like a lonely bird on a rooftop.
8All day long my enemies insult me.
Those who ridicule me use my name as a curse.
9I eat ashes like bread
and my tears are mixed with my drink
10because of your hostility and anger,
because you have picked me up and thrown me away.
11My days are like a shadow that is getting longer,
and I wither away like grass.
12But you, O Lord, remain forever.
You are remembered throughout every generation.
13You will rise and have compassion on Zion,
because it is time to grant a favor to it.
Indeed, the appointed time has come.
14Your servants value Zion’s stones,
and they pity its rubble.
15The nations will fear the Lord’s name.
All the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16When the Lord builds Zion,
he will appear in his glory.
17He will turn his attention to the prayers
of those who have been abandoned.
He will not despise their prayers.
18This will be written down for a future generation
so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:
19“The Lord looked down from his holy place high above.
From heaven he looked at the earth.
20He heard the groans of the prisoners
and set free those who were condemned to death.
21The Lord’s name is announced in Zion
and his praise in Jerusalem
22when nations and kingdoms gather
to worship the Lord.”
23He has weakened my strength along the way.
He has reduced ⌞the number of⌟ my days.
24I said, “My God, don’t take me now in the middle of my life.
Your years ⌞continue on⌟ throughout every generation.
25Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth.
Even the heavens are the works of your hands.
26They will come to an end, but you will still go on.
They will all wear out like clothing.
You will change them like clothes,
and they will be thrown away.
27But you remain the same, and your life will never end.
28The children of your servants will go on living ⌞here⌟.
Their descendants will be secure in your presence.”
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Psalms 102: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Psalms 102
102
Prayer in Time of Distress
1The prayer of one afflicted and wasting away whose anguish is poured out before the Lord.
I
2Lord, hear my prayer;
let my cry come to you.
3Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress.#Ps 69:18; 143:7.
Turn your ear to me;
when I call, answer me quickly.
4For my days vanish like smoke;#Ps 38:7–9.
my bones burn away as in a furnace.
5My heart is withered, dried up like grass,
too wasted to eat my food.
6From my loud groaning
I become just skin and bones.
7I am like a desert owl,
like an owl among the ruins.
8I lie awake and moan,
like a lone sparrow on the roof.
9All day long my enemies taunt me;
in their rage, they make my name a curse.#They make my name a curse: enemies use the psalmist’s name in phrases such as, “May you be as wretched as this person!”
10I eat ashes like bread,
mingle my drink with tears.#Ps 42:4; 80:6.
11Because of your furious wrath,
you lifted me up just to cast me down.
12#Ps 109:23; 144:4; Jb 8:9; 14:2; Eccl 6:12; Wis 2:5.My days are like a lengthening shadow;#Ps 90:5–6.
I wither like the grass.
II
13But you, Lord, are enthroned forever;
your renown is for all generations.#Ps 55:20; 90:2; 93:2; 135:13; 145:13; Lam 5:19; Heb 1:12.
14You will again show mercy to Zion;
now is the time for pity;
the appointed time has come.
15Its stones are dear to your servants;
its dust moves them to pity.
16The nations shall fear your name, Lord,
all the kings of the earth, your glory,#Is 59:19; 66:18.
17Once the Lord has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in glory,
18Heeding the plea of the lowly,
not scorning their prayer.
19Let this be written for the next generation,
for a people not yet born,
that they may praise the Lord:#Ps 22:31–32.
20#Both Ps 102:20–21 and Ps 102:22–23 depend on Ps 102:19.“The Lord looked down from the holy heights,
viewed the earth from heaven,#Ps 11:4; 14:2.
21To attend to the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”#Ps 79:11.
22Then the Lord’s name will be declared on Zion,
his praise in Jerusalem,
23When peoples and kingdoms gather
to serve the Lord.#Is 60:3–4; Zec 2:15; 8:22.
III
24He has shattered my strength in mid-course,
has cut short my days.
25I plead, O my God,
do not take me in the midst of my days.#In the midst of my days: when the normal span of life is but half completed, cf. Is 38:10; Jer 17:11.#Ps 39:5; 90:10; Jb 14:5.
Your years last through all generations.
26Of old you laid the earth’s foundations;#Heb 1:10–12.
the heavens are the work of your hands.
27They perish, but you remain;
they all wear out like a garment;
Like clothing you change them and they are changed,
28but you are the same, your years have no end.
29May the children of your servants live on;
may their descendants live in your presence.#Ps 69:36–37.
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