Psalms 102
1 A Prayer of the man who is in trouble, when he is overcome, and puts his grief before the Lord. Give ear to my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come to you.
“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 Let not your face be veiled from me in the day of my trouble; give ear to me, and let my cry be answered quickly.
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 My days are wasted like smoke, and my bones are burned up as in a fire.
For my days vanish in smoke, and my bones are burning like a hearth.
4 My heart is broken; it has become dry and dead like grass, so that I give no thought to food.
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 sorrow, my flesh is wasted to the bone.
Because of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my flesh.
6 I am like a bird living by itself in the waste places; like the night-bird in a waste of sand.
I am like the pelican of the wilderness: I am become like the owl amid ruins.
7 I keep watch like a bird by itself on the house-top.
I watch, and I am become like a [night-]bird sitting alone upon the housetop.
8 My haters say evil of me all day; those who are violent against me make use of my name as a curse.
All the day my enemies reproach me: they that mock me swear by me.
9 I have had dust for bread and my drink has been mixed with weeping:
For ashes do I eat like bread, and my drink I mingle with weeping;
10 Because of your passion and your wrath, for I have been lifted up and then made low by you.
Because of thy indignation and thy wrath; for thou hadst lifted me up, and hast cast me down.
11 My days are like a shade which is stretched out; I am dry like the grass.
My days are like a shadow that declineth; and like the herb I wither.
12 But you, O Lord, are eternal; and your name will never come to an end.
But thou, O Lord, wilt sit enthroned for ever; and thy memorial is unto all generations.
13 You will again get up and have mercy on Zion: for the time has come for her to be comforted.
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 your servants take pleasure in her stones, looking with love on her dust.
For thy servants hold dear her stones, and her very dust they cherish.
15 So the nations will give honour to the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will be in fear of his glory:
Then shall nations fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory:
16 When the Lord has put up the walls of Zion, and has been been in his glory;
When the Lord shalt have built up Zion, he appeareth in his glory;
17 When he has given ear to the prayer of the poor, and has not put his request on one side.
[When] he hath regarded the prayer of the forsaken, and doth not despise their prayer.
18 This will be put in writing for the coming generation, and the people of the future will give praise to the Lord.
This shall be written down for the latest generation; and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.
19 For from his holy place the Lord has seen, looking down on the earth from heaven;
For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; the Lord hath cast from heaven his view to the earth:
20 Hearing the cry of the prisoner, making free those for whom death is ordered;
To hear the sighing of the prisoner; to loosen those that are doomed to death:
21 So that they may give out the name of the Lord 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 come together, and the kingdoms, to give worship to the Lord.
When people are gathered together, and kingdoms, to serve the Lord.—
23 He has taken my strength from me in the way; he has made short my days.
He hath weakened on the way my strength; he hath shortened my days.
24 I will say, O my God, take me not away before my time; your years go on through 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 In the past you put the earth on its base, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
In olden times didst thou lay the foundations of the earth; and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
26 They will come to an end, but you will still go on; they all will become old like a coat, and like a robe they will 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 you are the unchanging One, and your years will have no end.
But thou art ever the same, and thy years will have no end.
28 The children of your servants will have a safe resting-place, and their seed will be ever before you.
The children of thy servants will dwell [securely], and their seed will be firmly established before thee.
