< Psalms 102 >
1 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, and let my cry come to 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.
3 For my days consume away like smoke, and my bones are burned as a firebrand.
4 My heart is smitten like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of the voice of my groaning my bones cling to my flesh.
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness. I have become as an owl of the waste places.
7 I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone upon the house-top.
8 My enemies reproach me all the day. Those who are mad against me do curse by me.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
10 because of thine indignation and thy wrath. For thou have taken me up, and cast me away.
11 My days are like a shadow that declines, and I am withered like grass.
12 But thou, O Jehovah, will abide forever, and thy memorial to 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.
14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity upon her dust.
15 So the nations shall fear the name of Jehovah, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
16 For Jehovah has built up Zion. He has appeared in his glory.
17 He has regarded the prayer of the destitute, and has not despised their prayer.
18 This shall be written for the generation to come. And a people which shall be created shall praise Jehovah.
19 For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven Jehovah beheld the earth,
20 to hear the sighing of the prisoner, to loose those who are appointed to death,
21 that men may declare the name of Jehovah in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem,
22 when the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve Jehovah.
23 He weakened my strength in the way. He 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.
25 Of old thou laid the foundation 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,
27 but thou are the same, and thy years shall have no end.
28 The sons of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.