Psalms 102
1 A Prayer for the Poor; when he is deeply afflicted, and pours out his supplication before the Lord. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come to you.
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 your face from me: in the day [when] I am afflicted, incline your ear to me: in the day [when] I shall call upon you, speedily hear me.
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 have vanished like smoke, and my bones have been parched like a stick.
For my days pass away like smoke: my bones are burned through as with fire.
4 I am blighted like grass, and my heart is dried up; for I have forgotten to eat my bread.
My heart is scorched, withered like grass; I forget to eat my bread.
5 By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bone has cleaved to my flesh.
By reason of my loud groaning, my flesh clings to my bones.
6 I have become like a pelican of the wilderness;
Like a desert-owl of the wilderness, like an owl among ruins am I.
7 I have become like an owl in a ruined house. I have watched, and am become as a sparrow dwelling alone on a roof.
I make my sleepless lament like a bird on the house-top alone.
8 All the day long mine enemies have reproached me; and they that praised me have sworn against me.
All the day wild foes revile me, using my name for a curse.
9 For I have eaten ashes as it were bread, and mingled my drink with weeping;
For ashes have been my bread, and tears have been mixed with my cup.
10 because of your anger and your wrath: for you have lifted me up, and dashed 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 you, Lord, endure for ever, and your memorial to generation and generation.
But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever, your fame endures to all generations.
13 You shall arise, and have mercy upon Sion: for [it is] time to have mercy upon her, for the set time is come.
You will arise and have pity on Zion; it’s time to be gracious; her hour has come.
14 For your servants have taken pleasure in her stones, and they shall pity her dust.
For even her stones are dear to your servants, even the dust of her ruins they look on with love.
15 So the nations shall fear your name, O Lord, and all kings your glory.
Then the nations will revere the name of the Lord and all the kings of the earth his glory,
16 For the Lord shall build up Sion, and shall appear in his glory.
when the Lord shall have built up Zion, and revealed himself in his glory,
17 He has had regard to the prayer of the lowly, and has not despised their petition.
in response to the prayer of the destitute, whose prayer he will not despise.
18 Let this be written for 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 For he has looked out from the height of his sanctuary; the Lord looked upon the earth from heaven;
For he shall look down from his holy height, from the heavens the Lord will gaze on the earth,
20 to hear the groaning of the fettered ones, to loosen the sons of the slain;
to hear the groans of the prisoner, to free those who are doomed to die;
21 to proclaim 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 are gathered together, and the 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: tell me the fewness of my days.
He has broken my strength on the way, he has shortened my days.
24 Take me not away in the midst of my days: your years [are] through all generations.
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 you, O Lord, did lay the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of your hands.
Of old you have founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They shall perish, but you remain: and [they all] shall wax old as a garment; and as a vesture shall you fold 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 you are the same, and your years shall not fail.
But you are the same, your years are endless.
28 The children of your servants shall dwell [securely], and their seed shall prosper for ever.
The children of your servants abide, evermore shall their seed be before you.”
