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 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 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.
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 are vanished like smoke: and my bones are grown dry like fuel for the fire.
For my days vanish in smoke, and my bones are burning like a hearth.
4 I am smitten as grass, and my heart is withered: because I forgot to eat my bread.
Struck [by heat] like the herb and dried up is my heart; for I forget to eat my bread.
5 Through the voice of my groaning, my bone hath cleaved to my flesh.
Because of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my flesh.
6 I am become like to a pelican of the wilderness: I am like a night raven in the house.
I am like the pelican of the wilderness: I am become like the owl amid ruins.
7 I have watched, and am become as a sparrow all alone on the housetop.
I watch, and I am become like a [night-]bird sitting alone upon the housetop.
8 All the day long my enemies reproached me: and they that praised me did swear against me.
All the day my enemies reproach me: they that mock me swear by me.
9 For I did eat 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 thy anger and indignation: for having lifted me up thou hast thrown me down.
Because of thy indignation and thy wrath; for thou hadst lifted me up, and hast cast me down.
11 My days have declined like a shadow, and I am withered like grass.
My days are like a shadow that declineth; and like the herb I wither.
12 But thou, O Lord, endurest for ever: and thy memorial to all generations.
But thou, O Lord, wilt sit enthroned for ever; and thy memorial is unto 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.
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 the stones thereof have pleased thy servants: and they shall have pity on the earth thereof.
For thy servants hold dear her stones, and her very dust they cherish.
15 And the Gentiles shall fear thy name, O Lord, 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 the Lord hath built up Sion: and he shall be seen in his glory.
When the Lord shalt have built up Zion, he appeareth in his glory;
17 He hath had regard to the prayer of the humble: and he hath not despised their petition.
[When] he hath regarded the prayer of the forsaken, and doth not despise their prayer.
18 Let these things be written unto another generation: and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord:
This shall be written down for the latest generation; and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.
19 Because he hath looked forth from his high sanctuary: from heaven the Lord hath looked upon 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 That he might hear the groans of them that are in fetters: that he might release the children of the slain:
To hear the sighing of the prisoner; to loosen those that are doomed to death:
21 That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion: and his praise in Jerusalem;
That men may proclaim in Zion the name of the Lord, and his praise in Jerusalem;
22 When the people assemble together, and kings, to serve the Lord.
When people are gathered together, and kingdoms, to serve the Lord.—
23 He answered him in the way of his strength: Declare unto me the fewness of my days.
He hath weakened on the way my strength; he hath shortened my days.
24 Call me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are unto generation and generation.
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 beginning, O Lord, thou foundedst the earth: and the heavens are the works 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 remainest: and all of them shall grow old like a garment: And as a vesture thou shalt 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 art always the selfsame, and thy years shall not fail.
But thou art ever the same, and thy years will have no end.
28 The children of thy servants shall continue: and their seed shall be directed for ever.
The children of thy servants will dwell [securely], and their seed will be firmly established before thee.
