Psalms 102
1 Yahweh, listen to what I am praying; hear me while I cry out to you!
A Prayer for the Poor; when he is deeply afflicted, and pours out his supplication before the Lord. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come to you.
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 your face from me: in the day [when] I am afflicted, incline your ear to me: in the day [when] I shall call upon you, speedily hear me.
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 have vanished like smoke, and my bones have been parched like a stick.
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 blighted like grass, and my heart is dried up; for I have forgotten to eat my bread.
5 I groan loudly, and my bones can be seen under my skin [because I have become very thin].
By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bone has 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 have become like a pelican of the wilderness;
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 become like an owl in a ruined house. I have watched, and am become as a sparrow dwelling alone on a roof.
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 mine enemies have reproached me; and they that praised me have sworn 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 have eaten ashes as it were bread, and mingled my drink with weeping;
because of your anger and your wrath: for you have lifted me up, and dashed 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 you, Lord, endure for ever, and your memorial to generation and generation.
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.
You shall arise, and have mercy upon Sion: for [it is] time to have mercy upon her, for the set 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 your servants have taken pleasure in her stones, and they shall pity her dust.
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.
So the nations shall fear your name, O Lord, and all kings your glory.
16 You will rebuild Jerusalem, and you will appear there with your glory/brightness.
For the Lord shall build up Sion, and shall appear 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 has had regard to the prayer of the lowly, and has 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 this be written for 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.
For he has looked out from the height of his sanctuary; the Lord looked upon the earth from heaven;
20 They will know that you hear prisoners groaning and that you will set free those who have been told, “You will be executed.”
to hear the groaning of the fettered ones, to loosen the sons of the slain;
21 As a result, people in Jerusalem will praise you [DOU] for what you [have done]
to proclaim 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 are gathered together, and the 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: tell 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!
Take me not away in the midst of my days: your years [are] through all generations.
25 You created the world long ago, and you made (the heavens/everything in the sky) with your own hands.
In the beginning you, O Lord, did lay the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of your 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 you remain: and [they all] shall wax old as a garment; and as a vesture shall you fold 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 you are the same, and your 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 your servants shall dwell [securely], and their seed shall prosper for ever.
