Psalms 102
1 A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, LORD! Let my cry come to you.
A Prayer of the man who is in trouble, when he is overcome, and puts his grief before the Lord. Give ear to my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come to you.
2 Don’t hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Turn your ear to me. Answer me quickly in the day when I call.
Let not your face be veiled from me in the day of my trouble; give ear to me, and let my cry be answered quickly.
3 For my days consume away like smoke. My bones are burnt as a torch.
My days are wasted like smoke, and my bones are burned up as in a fire.
4 My heart is blighted like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread.
My heart is broken; it has become dry and dead like grass, so that I give no thought to food.
5 By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bones stick to my skin.
Because of the voice of my sorrow, my flesh is wasted to the bone.
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness. I have become as an owl of the waste places.
I am like a bird living by itself in the waste places; like the night-bird in a waste of sand.
7 I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop.
I keep watch like a bird by itself on the house-top.
8 My enemies reproach me all day. Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.
My haters say evil of me all day; those who are violent against me make use of my name as a curse.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,
I have had dust for bread and my drink has been mixed with weeping:
10 because of your indignation and your wrath; for you have taken me up and thrown me away.
Because of your passion and your wrath, for I have been lifted up and then made low by you.
11 My days are like a long shadow. I have withered like grass.
My days are like a shade which is stretched out; I am dry like the grass.
12 But you, LORD, will remain forever; your renown endures to all generations.
But you, O Lord, are eternal; and your name will never come to an end.
13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to have pity on her. Yes, the set time has come.
You will again get up and have mercy on Zion: for the time has come for her to be comforted.
14 For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust.
For your servants take pleasure in her stones, looking with love on her dust.
15 So the nations will fear the LORD’s name, all the kings of the earth your glory.
So the nations will give honour to the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will be in fear of his glory:
16 For the LORD has built up Zion. He has appeared in his glory.
When the Lord has put up the walls of Zion, and has been been in his glory;
17 He has responded to the prayer of the destitute, and has not despised their prayer.
When he has given ear to the prayer of the poor, and has not put his request on one side.
18 This will be written for the generation to come. A people which will be created will praise the LORD,
This will be put in writing for the coming generation, and the people of the future will give praise to the Lord.
19 for he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, the LORD saw the earth,
For from his holy place the Lord has seen, looking down on the earth from heaven;
20 to hear the groans of the prisoner, to free those who are condemned to death,
Hearing the cry of the prisoner, making free those for whom death is ordered;
21 that men may declare the LORD’s name in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem,
So that they may give out the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
22 when the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
When the peoples are come together, and the kingdoms, to give worship to the Lord.
23 He weakened my strength along the course. He shortened my days.
He has taken my strength from me in the way; he has made short my days.
24 I said, “My God, don’t take me away in the middle of my days. Your years are throughout all generations.
I will say, O my God, take me not away before my time; your years go on through all generations:
25 Of old, you laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the work of your hands.
In the past you put the earth on its base, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They will perish, but you will endure. Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed.
They will come to an end, but you will still go on; they all will become old like a coat, and like a robe they will be changed:
27 But you are the same. Your years will have no end.
But you are the unchanging One, and your years will have no end.
28 The children of your servants will continue. Their offspring will be established before you.”
The children of your servants will have a safe resting-place, and their seed will be ever before you.
