Psalms 102
1 The prayer of the poor man, when he was anxious, and poured out his supplication before the Lord. Hear, O Lord, my prayer: and let my cry come to thee.
A prayer of one who is afflicted, when he grows faint and pours out his lament before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come before You.
2 Turn not away thy face from me: in the day when I am in trouble, incline thy ear to me. In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me speedily.
Do not hide Your face from me in my day of distress. Incline Your ear to me; answer me quickly when I call.
3 For my days are vanished like smoke: and my bones are grown dry like fuel for the fire.
For my days vanish like smoke, and my bones burn like glowing embers.
4 I am smitten as grass, and my heart is withered: because I forgot to eat my bread.
My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass; I even forget to eat my bread.
5 Through the voice of my groaning, my bone hath cleaved to my flesh.
Through my loud groaning my flesh clings to my bones.
6 I am become like to a pelican of the wilderness: I am like a night raven in the house.
I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.
7 I have watched, and am become as a sparrow all alone on the housetop.
I lie awake; I am like a lone bird on a housetop.
8 All the day long my enemies reproached me: and they that praised me did swear against me.
All day long my enemies taunt me; they ridicule me and curse me.
9 For I did eat ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.
For I have eaten ashes like bread and mixed my drink with tears
10 Because of thy anger and indignation: for having lifted me up thou hast thrown me down.
because of Your indignation and wrath, for You have picked me up and cast me aside.
11 My days have declined like a shadow, and I am withered like grass.
My days are like lengthening shadows, and I wither away like grass.
12 But thou, O Lord, endurest for ever: and thy memorial to all generations.
But You, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; Your renown endures to all generations.
13 Thou shalt arise and have mercy on Sion: for it is time to have mercy on it, for the time is come.
You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor— the appointed time has come.
14 For the stones thereof have pleased thy servants: and they shall have pity on the earth thereof.
For Your servants delight in her stones and take pity on her dust.
15 And the Gentiles shall fear thy name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
So the nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory.
16 For the Lord hath built up Sion: and he shall be seen in his glory.
For the LORD will rebuild Zion; He has appeared in His glory.
17 He hath had regard to the prayer of the humble: and he hath not despised their petition.
He will turn toward the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their prayer.
18 Let these things be written unto another generation: and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord:
Let this be written for the generation to come, so that a people not yet created may praise the LORD.
19 Because he hath looked forth from his high sanctuary: from heaven the Lord hath looked upon the earth.
For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary; the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth
20 That he might hear the groans of them that are in fetters: that he might release the children of the slain:
to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death,
21 That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion: and his praise in Jerusalem;
that they may proclaim the name of the LORD in Zion and praise Him in Jerusalem,
22 When the people assemble together, and kings, to serve the Lord.
when peoples and kingdoms assemble to serve the LORD.
23 He answered him in the way of his strength: Declare unto me the fewness of my days.
He has broken my strength on the way; He has cut short my days.
24 Call me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are unto generation and generation.
I say: “O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days! Your years go on through all generations.
25 In the beginning, O Lord, thou foundedst the earth: and the heavens are the works of thy hands.
In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
26 They shall perish but thou remainest: and all of them shall grow old like a garment: And as a vesture thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed.
They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will be passed on.
27 But thou art always the selfsame, and thy years shall not fail.
But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.
28 The children of thy servants shall continue: and their seed shall be directed for ever.
The children of Your servants will dwell securely, and their descendants will be established before You.”
