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