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.
Yahweh, listen to what I am praying; hear me while I cry out 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.
Do not (turn away/hide yourself) from me when I (have troubles/am distressed)! Listen to me, and answer me quickly now, when I am calling out to you!
3 For my days are vanished like smoke: and my bones are grown dry like fuel for the fire.
My life is ending, like smoke that disappears [SIM]; I have [a high fever which] burns my body like a fire burns [SIM].
4 I am smitten as grass, and my heart is withered: because I forgot to eat my bread.
[I feel like] I am drying up like grass [SIM] that has been beaten/trampled down, and I no longer have a desire to eat food.
5 Through the voice of my groaning, my bone hath cleaved to my flesh.
I groan loudly, and my bones can be seen under my skin [because I have become very thin].
6 I am become like to a pelican of the wilderness: I am like a night raven in the house.
I am like a [lonely and despised] vulture in the desert, like an owl by itself in the abandoned ruins [of a building/city].
7 I have watched, and am become as a sparrow all alone on the housetop.
I lie awake [at night]; [because there is no one to comfort me], I am like a lonely bird [sitting] on a housetop [SIM].
8 All the day long my enemies reproached me: and they that praised me did swear against me.
All during the day my enemies insult me; those who make fun of me mention my name [and say, “May you be like him”] when they curse people.
9 For I did eat ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.
Because you are very angry [DOU] with me, now [I sit in] ashes [while I am suffering greatly]; and those ashes [fall on] the bread/food that I eat, and what I drink has my tears mixed with it. [It is as though] you have picked me up and thrown me away!
10 Because of thy anger and indignation: for having lifted me up thou hast thrown me down.
11 My days have declined like a shadow, and I am withered like grass.
My time to remain alive is like an evening shadow [that will soon be gone] [SIM]. I am withering like grass withers [in the hot sun].
12 But thou, O Lord, endurest for ever: and thy memorial to all generations.
But Yahweh, you are our king who rules [MTY] forever; people who are not yet born will remember you.
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 be merciful to [the people of] [MTY] Jerusalem; it is now time for you to do that; this is the time for you to be kind to them.
14 For the stones thereof have pleased thy servants: and they shall have pity on the earth thereof.
Even though (the city has been destroyed/our enemies have destroyed our city), we who serve you still love the stones that [were formerly] in the city walls; because now there is rubble everywhere, we, your people, are very sad when we see it.
15 And the Gentiles shall fear thy name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
Yahweh, [some day the people of other] nations will revere you [MTY]; all the kings on earth will see that you are very glorious/great.
16 For the Lord hath built up Sion: and he shall be seen in his glory.
You will rebuild Jerusalem, and you will appear there with your glory/brightness.
17 He hath had regard to the prayer of the humble: and he hath not despised their petition.
You will listen to the prayers of your people who are homeless, and you will (not ignore them/do what they request) [LIT] when they plead with you to help them.
18 Let these things be written unto another generation: and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord:
Yahweh, [I want to] write these words in order that people in future years [will know what] you have done, in order that people who are not born yet will praise you.
19 Because he hath looked forth from his high sanctuary: from heaven the Lord hath looked upon the earth.
They will know that you looked down from your holy/sacred place in heaven [DOU] and saw [what was happening 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:
They will know that you hear prisoners groaning and that you will set free those who have been told, “You will be executed.”
21 That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion: and his praise in Jerusalem;
As a result, people in Jerusalem will praise you [DOU] for what you [have done]
22 When the people assemble together, and kings, to serve the Lord.
when many people [from other people-groups] and [those who are citizens of other] kingdoms gather to worship you.
23 He answered him in the way of his strength: Declare unto me the fewness of my days.
[But now] you have caused me to become weak while I am still young; [I think that] I will (not live much longer/ very long/soon die).
24 Call me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are unto generation and generation.
I say to you, “My God, do not cause me to die now, before I become old! You live forever!
25 In the beginning, O Lord, thou foundedst the earth: and the heavens are the works of thy hands.
You created the world long ago, and you made (the heavens/everything in the sky) with your own 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.
The earth and the heavens/sky will disappear, but you will remain. They will wear out like clothes wear out. You will get rid of them like [people get rid of] old clothes, and they will no longer exist,
27 But thou art always the selfsame, and thy years shall not fail.
but you are [not like the things that you created], [because you are] always the same; you never die.
28 The children of thy servants shall continue: and their seed shall be directed for ever.
[Some day] our children will live safely [in Jerusalem], and their descendants will be protected in your presence.”
