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.
The prayer: for a weary and suffering person who pours out their grief to the Lord. Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry for help come to 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.
Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me: 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 pass away like smoke: my bones are burned through as with fire.
4 I am smitten as grass, and my heart is withered: because I forgot to eat my bread.
My heart is scorched, withered like grass; I forget to eat my bread.
5 Through the voice of my groaning, my bone hath cleaved to my flesh.
By reason of 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.
Like a desert-owl of the wilderness, like an owl among ruins am I.
7 I have watched, and am become as a sparrow all alone on the housetop.
I make my sleepless lament like a bird on the house-top alone.
8 All the day long my enemies reproached me: and they that praised me did swear against me.
All the day wild foes revile me, using my name for a curse.
9 For I did eat ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.
For ashes have been my bread, and tears have been mixed with my cup.
10 Because of thy anger and indignation: for having lifted me up thou hast thrown me down.
Because of your passionate anger, you did raise me, then hurl me to the ground.
11 My days have declined like a shadow, and I am withered like grass.
My days come to an end, shadows lengthen, I wither like grass.
12 But thou, O Lord, endurest for ever: and thy memorial to all generations.
But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever, your fame 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 arise and have pity on Zion; it’s time to be gracious; her hour has come.
14 For the stones thereof have pleased thy servants: and they shall have pity on the earth thereof.
For even her stones are dear to your servants, even the dust of her ruins they look on with love.
15 And the Gentiles shall fear thy name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
Then the nations will revere the name of the Lord and all the kings of the earth his glory,
16 For the Lord hath built up Sion: and he shall be seen in his glory.
when the Lord shall have built up Zion, and revealed himself in his glory,
17 He hath had regard to the prayer of the humble: and he hath not despised their petition.
in response to the prayer of the destitute, whose prayer he will not despise.
18 Let these things be written unto another generation: and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord:
Let this be recorded for ages to come, that the Lord may be praised by a people yet unborn.
19 Because he hath looked forth from his high sanctuary: from heaven the Lord hath looked upon the earth.
For he shall look down from his holy height, from the heavens the Lord will gaze on 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 groans of the prisoner, to free those who are doomed to die;
21 That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion: and his praise in Jerusalem;
that people may recount the Lord’s fame in Zion, and the praise of him in Jerusalem,
22 When the people assemble together, and kings, to serve the Lord.
when the nations are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to worship 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 shortened my days.
24 Call me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are unto generation and generation.
I will say, ‘My God, take me not hence in the midst of my days. ‘Your years endure age after age.
25 In the beginning, O Lord, thou foundedst the earth: and the heavens are the works of thy hands.
Of old you have founded 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 shall perish; but you do stand. They shall all wax old like a garment, and change as a robe you will change them.
27 But thou art always the selfsame, and thy years shall not fail.
But you are the same, your years are endless.
28 The children of thy servants shall continue: and their seed shall be directed for ever.
The children of your servants abide, evermore shall their seed be before you.’
