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 faint and pours out his lament before Yahweh. Hear my prayer, Yahweh; hear my cry to you.
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.
Do not hide your face from me in my time of trouble. Listen to me. When I call out to you, answer me quickly.
3 My days are wasted like smoke, and my bones are burned up as in a fire.
For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like fire.
4 My heart is broken; it has become dry and dead like grass, so that I give no thought to food.
My heart is crushed, and I am like grass that has withered. I forget to eat any food.
5 Because of the voice of my sorrow, my flesh is wasted to the bone.
With my continual groaning, I have become very thin.
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 a pelican of the wilderness; I have become like an owl in the ruins.
7 I keep watch like a bird by itself on the house-top.
I lie awake like a solitary bird, alone on 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.
My enemies taunt me all day long; those who mock me use my name in curses.
9 I have had dust for bread and my drink has been mixed with weeping:
I eat ashes like bread and mix my drink with tears.
10 Because of your passion and your wrath, for I have been lifted up and then made low by you.
Because of your raging anger, you have lifted me up to throw 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 fades, and I have withered like grass.
12 But you, O Lord, are eternal; and your name will never come to an end.
But you, Yahweh, live forever, and your fame is for all generations.
13 You will again get up and have mercy on Zion: for the time has come for her to be comforted.
You will rise up and have mercy on Zion. Now is the time to have mercy upon her; the appointed time has come.
14 For your servants take pleasure in her stones, looking with love on her dust.
For your servants hold her stones dear and feel compassion for the dust of her ruins.
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:
The nations will respect your name, Yahweh, and all the kings of the earth will honor your glory.
16 When the Lord has put up the walls of Zion, and has been been in his glory;
Yahweh will rebuild Zion and will appear in his glory.
17 When he has given ear to the prayer of the poor, and has not put his request on one side.
At that time, he will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not reject 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 will be written for future generations, and a people not yet born will praise Yahweh.
19 For from his holy place the Lord has seen, looking down on the earth from heaven;
For he has looked down from the holy heights; from heaven Yahweh has viewed the earth,
20 Hearing the cry of the prisoner, making free those for whom death is ordered;
to hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those who were condemned to death.
21 So that they may give out the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
Then men will proclaim the name of Yahweh in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem
22 When the peoples are come together, and the kingdoms, to give worship to the Lord.
when the peoples and kingdoms gather together to serve Yahweh.
23 He has taken my strength from me in the way; he has made short my days.
He has taken away my strength in the middle of life. He has 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 said, “My God, do not take me away in the middle of life; you are here throughout all generations.
25 In the past you put the earth on its base, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
In ancient times you set the earth in place; the heavens are the work of your 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:
They will perish, but you will remain; they will all grow old like a garment; like clothing, you will remove them, and they will disappear.
27 But you are the unchanging One, and your years will have no end.
But you are the same, and your 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 your servants will live on, and their descendants will live in your presence.”
