Psalms 102
1 “A prayer of the afflicted, when in deep distress he poureth out his complaint before the Lord.” Hear my prayer, O LORD! And let my cry come unto 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 Hide not thy face from me in the day of my trouble; Incline thine ear to me when I call! Answer 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 life is consumed like smoke, And my bones burn like a brand.
For my days pass away like smoke: my bones are burned through as with fire.
4 My heart is smitten and withered like grass; Yea, I forget to eat my bread.
My heart is scorched, withered like grass; I forget to eat my bread.
5 By reason of my sighing, my bones cleave to my skin;
By reason of my loud groaning, my flesh clings to my bones.
6 I am like the pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl amid ruins.
Like a desert-owl of the wilderness, like an owl among ruins am I.
7 I am sleepless; I am like a solitary bird upon the house-top.
I make my sleepless lament like a bird on the house-top alone.
8 All the day long my enemies reproach me; They who rage against me curse by me.
All the day wild foes revile me, using my name for a curse.
9 For I eat ashes like bread, And mingle my drink with tears.
For ashes have been my bread, and tears have been mixed with my cup.
10 On account of thine indignation and thy wrath; For thou hast lifted me up and cast me down!
Because of your passionate anger, you did raise me, then hurl me to the ground.
11 My life is like a declining shadow, And I wither like grass.
My days come to an end, shadows lengthen, I wither like grass.
12 But thou, O LORD! endurest for ever, And thy name from generation to generation!
But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever, your fame endures to all generations.
13 Thou wilt arise and have pity upon Zion, For the time to favor her, yea, 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 thy servants take pleasure in her stones; Yea, they have a regard for her dust.
For even her stones are dear to your servants, even the dust of her ruins they look on with love.
15 Then shall the nations fear the name of Jehovah, 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 Jehovah will build up Zion; He will appear in his glory.
when the Lord shall have built up Zion, and revealed himself in his glory,
17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, And not despise their supplication.
in response to the prayer of the destitute, whose prayer he will not despise.
18 This shall be written for the generation to come, That the people to be born may praise Jehovah.
Let this be recorded for ages to come, that the Lord may be praised by a people yet unborn.
19 For he looketh down from his holy height, From heaven doth he cast his eye upon the earth,
For he shall look down from his holy height, from the heavens the Lord will gaze on the earth,
20 To listen to the sighs of the prisoner. To release those that are doomed to death;
to hear the groans of the prisoner, to free those who are doomed to die;
21 That they may declare the name of Jehovah in Zion, 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 nations are assembled together, And the kingdoms to serve Jehovah.
when the nations are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to worship the Lord.
23 He hath weakened my strength on the way, He hath shortened my days.
He has broken my strength on the way, he has shortened my days.
24 I say, O my God! take me not away in the midst of my days! Thy years endure 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 Of old hast thou laid the foundations of the earth, And the heavens are the work 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 shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou 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 the same, And thy years have no end.
But you are the same, your years are endless.
28 The children of thy servants shall dwell securely, And their posterity shall be established before thee.
The children of your servants abide, evermore shall their seed be before you.”
