Psalms 102
1 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, and let my cry come to thee.
“A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out before the Lord his complaint.” O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come unto thee.
2 Hide not thy face from me in the day of my distress. Incline thine ear to me. In the day when I call answer me speedily.
Hide not thy face from me on the day when I am distressed; incline unto me thy ear; on the day when I call, answer me speedily.
3 For my days consume away like smoke, and my bones are burned as a firebrand.
For my days vanish in smoke, and my bones are burning like a hearth.
4 My heart is smitten like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread.
Struck [by heat] like the herb and dried up is my heart; for I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of the voice of my groaning my bones cling to my flesh.
Because of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my flesh.
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness. I have become as an owl of the waste places.
I am like the pelican of the wilderness: I am become like the owl amid ruins.
7 I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone upon the house-top.
I watch, and I am become like a [night-]bird sitting alone upon the housetop.
8 My enemies reproach me all the day. Those who are mad against me do curse by me.
All the day my enemies reproach me: they that mock me swear by me.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
For ashes do I eat like bread, and my drink I mingle with weeping;
10 because of thine indignation and thy wrath. For thou have taken me up, and cast me away.
Because of thy indignation and thy wrath; for thou hadst lifted me up, and hast cast me down.
11 My days are like a shadow that declines, and I am withered like grass.
My days are like a shadow that declineth; and like the herb I wither.
12 But thou, O Jehovah, will abide forever, and thy memorial to all generations.
But thou, O Lord, wilt sit enthroned for ever; and thy memorial is unto all generations.
13 Thou will arise, and have mercy upon Zion, for it is time to have pity upon her, yea, the set time has come.
Thou wilt indeed arise; thou wilt have mercy upon Zion; for it is time to favor her, for the appointed time is coming.
14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity upon her dust.
For thy servants hold dear her stones, and her very dust they cherish.
15 So the nations shall fear the name of Jehovah, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
Then shall nations fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory:
16 For Jehovah has built up Zion. He has appeared in his glory.
When the Lord shalt have built up Zion, he appeareth in his glory;
17 He has regarded the prayer of the destitute, and has not despised their prayer.
[When] he hath regarded the prayer of the forsaken, and doth not despise their prayer.
18 This shall be written for the generation to come. And a people which shall be created shall praise Jehovah.
This shall be written down for the latest generation; and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.
19 For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven Jehovah beheld the earth,
For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; the Lord hath cast from heaven his view to the earth:
20 to hear the sighing of the prisoner, to loose those who are appointed to death,
To hear the sighing of the prisoner; to loosen those that are doomed to death:
21 that men may declare the name of Jehovah in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem,
That men may proclaim in Zion the name of the Lord, and his praise in Jerusalem;
22 when the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve Jehovah.
When people are gathered together, and kingdoms, to serve the Lord.—
23 He weakened my strength in the way. He shortened my days.
He hath weakened on the way my strength; he hath shortened my days.
24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days. Thy years are throughout all generations.
I will say, O my God! take me not away in the midst of my days: throughout all generations are thy years.
25 Of old thou laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
In olden times didst thou lay the foundations of the earth; and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
26 They shall perish, but thou shall endure. Yea, all of them shall grow old like a garment. As a vesture thou shall change them, and they shall be changed,
These will indeed perish, but thou wilt ever exist: yea, all of them will wear out like a garment; as a vesture wilt thou change them, and they will be changed;
27 but thou are the same, and thy years shall have no end.
But thou art ever the same, and thy years will have no end.
28 The sons of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.
The children of thy servants will dwell [securely], and their seed will be firmly established before thee.
