Psalms 102
1 A prayer of the afflicted when he is faint and pours out his lament before Yahweh. Hear my prayer, Yahweh; hear my cry to you.
Yahweh, listen to what I am praying; hear me while I cry out to you!
2 Do not hide your face from me in my time of trouble. Listen to me. When I call out to you, answer me quickly.
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!
3 For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like fire.
My life is ending, like smoke that disappears [SIM]; I have [a high fever which] burns my body like a fire burns [SIM].
4 My heart is crushed, and I am like grass that has withered. I forget to eat any food.
[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.
5 With my continual groaning, I have become very thin.
I groan loudly, and my bones can be seen under my skin [because I have become very thin].
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I have become like an owl in the ruins.
I am like a [lonely and despised] vulture in the desert, like an owl by itself in the abandoned ruins [of a building/city].
7 I lie awake like a solitary bird, alone on the housetop.
I lie awake [at night]; [because there is no one to comfort me], I am like a lonely bird [sitting] on a housetop [SIM].
8 My enemies taunt me all day long; those who mock me use my name in curses.
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.
9 I eat ashes like bread and mix my drink with tears.
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!
10 Because of your raging anger, you have lifted me up to throw me down.
11 My days are like a shadow that fades, and I have withered like grass.
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].
12 But you, Yahweh, live forever, and your fame is for all generations.
But Yahweh, you are our king who rules [MTY] forever; people who are not yet born will remember you.
13 You will rise up and have mercy on Zion. Now is the time to have mercy upon her; the appointed time has come.
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.
14 For your servants hold her stones dear and feel compassion for the dust of her ruins.
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.
15 The nations will respect your name, Yahweh, and all the kings of the earth will honor your glory.
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.
16 Yahweh will rebuild Zion and will appear in his glory.
You will rebuild Jerusalem, and you will appear there with your glory/brightness.
17 At that time, he will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not reject their prayer.
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.
18 This will be written for future generations, and a people not yet born will praise Yahweh.
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.
19 For he has looked down from the holy heights; from heaven Yahweh has viewed the earth,
They will know that you looked down from your holy/sacred place in heaven [DOU] and saw [what was happening on] the earth.
20 to hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those who were condemned to death.
They will know that you hear prisoners groaning and that you will set free those who have been told, “You will be executed.”
21 Then men will proclaim the name of Yahweh in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem
As a result, people in Jerusalem will praise you [DOU] for what you [have done]
22 when the peoples and kingdoms gather together to serve Yahweh.
when many people [from other people-groups] and [those who are citizens of other] kingdoms gather to worship you.
23 He has taken away my strength in the middle of life. He has shortened my days.
[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).
24 I said, “My God, do not take me away in the middle of life; you are here throughout all generations.
I say to you, “My God, do not cause me to die now, before I become old! You live forever!
25 In ancient times you set the earth in place; the heavens are the work of your hands.
You created the world long ago, and you made (the heavens/everything in the sky) with your own hands.
26 They will perish, but you will remain; they will all grow old like a garment; like clothing, you will remove them, and they will disappear.
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,
27 But you are the same, and your years will have no end.
but you are [not like the things that you created], [because you are] always the same; you never die.
28 The children of your servants will live on, and their descendants will live in your presence.”
[Some day] our children will live safely [in Jerusalem], and their descendants will be protected in your presence.”
