Psalms 102

1 A PRAYER OF THE AFFLICTED WHEN HE IS FEEBLE, AND POURS OUT HIS COMPLAINT BEFORE YHWH. O YHWH, hear my prayer, indeed, my cry comes to You.

The prayer of the pauper, when he was anxious, and so he poured out his petition in the sight of the Lord. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my outcry reach you.

2 Do not hide Your face from me, In a day of my adversity, Incline Your ear to me, In the day I call, hurry, answer me.

Do not turn your face away from me. In whatever day that I am in trouble, incline your ear to me. In whatever day that I will call upon you, heed me quickly.

3 For my days have been consumed in smoke, And my bones have burned as a firebrand.

For my days have faded away like smoke, and my bones have dried out like firewood.

4 Struck as the herb, and withered, is my heart, For I have forgotten to eat my bread.

I have been cut down like hay, and my heart has withered, for I had forgotten to eat my bread.

5 From the voice of my sighing My bone has cleaved to my flesh.

Before the voice of my groaning, my bone has adhered to my flesh.

6 I have been like to a pelican of the wilderness, I have been as an owl of the dry places.

I have become like a pelican in solitude. I have become like a night raven in a house.

7 I have watched, and I am As a bird alone on the roof.

I have kept vigil, and I have become like a solitary sparrow on a roof.

8 All the day my enemies reproached me, Those mad at me have sworn against me.

All day long my enemies reproached me, and those who praised me swore oaths against me.

9 Because I have eaten ashes as bread, And have mingled my drink with weeping,

For I chewed on ashes like bread, and I mixed weeping into my drink.

10 From Your indignation and Your wrath, For You have lifted me up, And cast me down.

By the face of your anger and indignation, you lifted me up and threw me down.

11 My days [are] stretched out as a shadow, And I am withered as the herb.

My days have declined like a shadow, and I have dried out like hay.

12 And You, O YHWH, abide for all time, And Your memorial from generation to generation.

But you, O Lord, endure for eternity, and your memorial is from generation to generation.

13 You rise—You pity Zion, For the time to favor her, For the appointed time has come.

You will rise up and take pity on Zion, for it is time for its mercy, for the time has come.

14 For Your servants have been pleased with her stones, And they favor her dust.

For its stones have pleased your servants, and they will take pity on its land.

15 And nations fear the Name of YHWH, And all kings of the earth Your glory,

And the Gentiles will fear your name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth your glory.

16 For YHWH has built Zion, He has been seen in His glory,

For the Lord has built up Zion, and he will be seen in his glory.

17 He turned to the prayer of the destitute, And He has not despised their prayer.

He has noticed the prayer of the humble, and he has not despised their petition.

18 This is written for a later generation, And the people created praise YAH.

Let these things be written in another generation, and the people who will be created will praise the Lord.

19 For He has looked From the high place of His sanctuary. YHWH looked attentively from the heavens to earth,

For he has gazed from his high sanctuary. From heaven, the Lord has beheld the earth.

20 To hear the groan of the prisoner, To loose sons of death,

So may he hear the groans of those in shackles, in order that he may release the sons of the slain.

21 To declare in Zion the Name of YHWH, And His praise in Jerusalem,

So may they announce the name of the Lord in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem:

22 In the peoples being gathered together, And the kingdoms—to serve YHWH.

while the people convene, along with kings, in order that they may serve the Lord.

23 He has humbled my power in the way, He has shortened my days.

He responded to him in the way of his virtue: Declare to me the brevity of my days.

24 I say, “My God, do not take me up in the midst of my days,” Your years [are] through all generations.

Do not call me back in the middle of my days: your years are from generation to generation.

25 You founded the earth before time, And the heavens [are] the work of Your hands.

In the beginning, O Lord, you founded the earth. And the heavens are the work of your hands.

26 They perish, and You remain, And all of them become old as a garment, You change them as clothing, And they are changed.

They will perish, but you remain. And all will grow old like a garment. And, like a blanket, you will change them, and they will be changed.

27 And You [are] the same, and Your years are not finished.

Yet you are ever yourself, and your years will not decline.

28 The sons of Your servants continue, And their seed is established before You!

The sons of your servants will live, and their offspring will be guided aright in every age.