< Psalms 102 >
1 [A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the LORD.] Hear my prayer, LORD. Let my cry come to you.
A Prayer of the afflicted when he is feeble, and before Jehovah poureth out his plaint. O Jehovah, hear my prayer, yea, my cry to Thee cometh.
2 Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Turn your ear to me. Answer me quickly in the day when I call.
Hide not Thou Thy face from me, In a day of mine adversity, Incline unto me Thine ear, In the day I call, haste, answer me.
3 For my days consume away like smoke. My bones are burned like a hearth.
For consumed in smoke have been my days, And my bones as a fire-brand have burned.
4 My heart is blighted like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread.
Smitten as the herb, and withered, is my heart, For I have forgotten to eat my bread.
5 By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bones stick to my skin.
From the voice of my sighing Hath my bone cleaved to my flesh.
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness. I have become as an owl of the waste places.
I have been like to a pelican of the wilderness, I have been as an owl of the dry places.
7 I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop.
I have watched, and I am As a bird alone on the roof.
8 My enemies reproach me all day. Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.
All the day mine enemies reproached me, Those mad at me have sworn against me.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,
Because ashes as bread I have eaten, And my drink with weeping have mingled,
10 Because of your indignation and your wrath, for you have taken me up, and thrown me away.
From Thine indignation and Thy wrath, For Thou hast lifted me up, And dost cast me down.
11 My days are like a long shadow. I have withered like grass.
My days as a shadow [are] stretched out, And I — as the herb I am withered.
12 But you, LORD, will abide forever; your renown endures to all generations.
And Thou, O Jehovah, to the age abidest, And Thy memorial to all generations.
13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for it is time to have pity on her. Yes, the set time has come.
Thou — Thou risest — Thou pitiest Zion, For the time to favour her, For the appointed time hath come.
14 For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust.
For Thy servants have been pleased with her stones, And her dust they favour.
15 So the nations will fear the name of the LORD; all the kings of the earth your glory.
And nations fear the name of Jehovah, And all kings of the earth Thine honour,
16 For the LORD has built up Zion. He has appeared in his glory.
For Jehovah hath builded Zion, He hath been seen in His honour,
17 He has responded to the prayer of the destitute, and has not despised their prayer.
He turned unto the prayer of the destitute, And He hath not despised their prayer.
18 This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.
This is written for a later generation, And the people created do praise Jah.
19 For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, the LORD looked at the earth;
For He hath looked From the high place of His sanctuary. Jehovah from heaven unto earth looked attentively,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoner; to free those who are condemned to death;
To hear the groan of the prisoner, To loose sons of death,
21 that men may declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
To declare in Zion the name of Jehovah, And His praise in Jerusalem,
22 when the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
In the peoples being gathered together, And the kingdoms — to serve Jehovah.
23 He weakened my strength along the course. He shortened my days.
He hath humbled in the way my power, He hath shortened my days.
24 I said, "My God, do not take me away in the midst of my days. Your years are throughout all generations.
I say, 'My God, take me not up in the midst of my days,' Through all generations [are] Thine years.
25 In the beginning, LORD, you established the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands.
Beforetime the earth Thou didst found, And the work of Thy hands [are] the heavens.
26 They will perish, but you remain; and they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed.
They — They perish, and Thou remainest, And all of them as a garment become old, As clothing Thou changest them, And they are changed.
27 But you are the same. Your years will have no end.
And Thou [art] the same, and Thine years are not finished.
28 The children of your servants will continue, and their descendants will be established before you."
The sons of Thy servants do continue, And their seed before Thee is established!