Psalms 102
1 Yahweh, listen to what I am praying; hear me while I cry out to you!
The prayer of the poor man, when he was anxious, and poured out his supplication before the Lord. Hear, O Lord, my prayer: and let my cry come to thee.
2 Do not (turn away/hide yourself) from me when I (have troubles/am distressed)! Listen to me, and answer me quickly now, when I am calling out to you!
Turn not away thy face from me: in the day when I am in trouble, incline thy ear to me. In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me speedily.
3 My life is ending, like smoke that disappears [SIM]; I have [a high fever which] burns my body like a fire burns [SIM].
For my days are vanished like smoke: and my bones are grown dry like fuel for the fire.
4 [I feel like] I am drying up like grass [SIM] that has been beaten/trampled down, and I no longer have a desire to eat food.
I am smitten as grass, and my heart is withered: because I forgot to eat my bread.
5 I groan loudly, and my bones can be seen under my skin [because I have become very thin].
Through the voice of my groaning, my bone hath cleaved to my flesh.
6 I am like a [lonely and despised] vulture in the desert, like an owl by itself in the abandoned ruins [of a building/city].
I am become like to a pelican of the wilderness: I am like a night raven in the house.
7 I lie awake [at night]; [because there is no one to comfort me], I am like a lonely bird [sitting] on a housetop [SIM].
I have watched, and am become as a sparrow all alone on the housetop.
8 All during the day my enemies insult me; those who make fun of me mention my name [and say, “May you be like him”] when they curse people.
All the day long my enemies reproached me: and they that praised me did swear against me.
9 Because you are very angry [DOU] with me, now [I sit in] ashes [while I am suffering greatly]; and those ashes [fall on] the bread/food that I eat, and what I drink has my tears mixed with it. [It is as though] you have picked me up and thrown me away!
For I did eat ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.
Because of thy anger and indignation: for having lifted me up thou hast thrown me down.
11 My time to remain alive is like an evening shadow [that will soon be gone] [SIM]. I am withering like grass withers [in the hot sun].
My days have declined like a shadow, and I am withered like grass.
12 But Yahweh, you are our king who rules [MTY] forever; people who are not yet born will remember you.
But thou, O Lord, endurest for ever: and thy memorial to all generations.
13 You will arise and be merciful to [the people of] [MTY] Jerusalem; it is now time for you to do that; this is the time for you to be kind to them.
Thou shalt arise and have mercy on Sion: for it is time to have mercy on it, for the time is come.
14 Even though (the city has been destroyed/our enemies have destroyed our city), we who serve you still love the stones that [were formerly] in the city walls; because now there is rubble everywhere, we, your people, are very sad when we see it.
For the stones thereof have pleased thy servants: and they shall have pity on the earth thereof.
15 Yahweh, [some day the people of other] nations will revere you [MTY]; all the kings on earth will see that you are very glorious/great.
And the Gentiles shall fear thy name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
16 You will rebuild Jerusalem, and you will appear there with your glory/brightness.
For the Lord hath built up Sion: and he shall be seen in his glory.
17 You will listen to the prayers of your people who are homeless, and you will (not ignore them/do what they request) [LIT] when they plead with you to help them.
He hath had regard to the prayer of the humble: and he hath not despised their petition.
18 Yahweh, [I want to] write these words in order that people in future years [will know what] you have done, in order that people who are not born yet will praise you.
Let these things be written unto another generation: and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord:
19 They will know that you looked down from your holy/sacred place in heaven [DOU] and saw [what was happening on] the earth.
Because he hath looked forth from his high sanctuary: from heaven the Lord hath looked upon the earth.
20 They will know that you hear prisoners groaning and that you will set free those who have been told, “You will be executed.”
That he might hear the groans of them that are in fetters: that he might release the children of the slain:
21 As a result, people in Jerusalem will praise you [DOU] for what you [have done]
That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion: and his praise in Jerusalem;
22 when many people [from other people-groups] and [those who are citizens of other] kingdoms gather to worship you.
When the people assemble together, and kings, to serve the Lord.
23 [But now] you have caused me to become weak while I am still young; [I think that] I will (not live much longer/ very long/soon die).
He answered him in the way of his strength: Declare unto me the fewness of my days.
24 I say to you, “My God, do not cause me to die now, before I become old! You live forever!
Call me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are unto generation and generation.
25 You created the world long ago, and you made (the heavens/everything in the sky) with your own hands.
In the beginning, O Lord, thou foundedst the earth: and the heavens are the works of thy hands.
26 The earth and the heavens/sky will disappear, but you will remain. They will wear out like clothes wear out. You will get rid of them like [people get rid of] old clothes, and they will no longer exist,
They shall perish but thou remainest: and all of them shall grow old like a garment: And as a vesture thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed.
27 but you are [not like the things that you created], [because you are] always the same; you never die.
But thou art always the selfsame, and thy years shall not fail.
28 [Some day] our children will live safely [in Jerusalem], and their descendants will be protected in your presence.”
The children of thy servants shall continue: and their seed shall be directed for ever.
