Psalms 102
1 A Prayer of the afflicted when he is feeble, and before Jehovah poureth out his plaint. O Jehovah, hear my prayer, yea, my cry to Thee cometh.
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.
2 Hide not Thou Thy face from me, In a day of mine adversity, Incline unto me Thine ear, In the day I call, haste, answer me.
Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me: when I call, answer me speedily.
3 For consumed in smoke have been my days, And my bones as a fire-brand have burned.
For my days pass away like smoke: my bones are burned through as with fire.
4 Smitten as the herb, and withered, is my heart, For I have forgotten to eat my bread.
My heart is scorched, withered like grass; I forget to eat my bread.
5 From the voice of my sighing Hath my bone cleaved to my flesh.
By reason of my loud groaning, my flesh clings to my bones.
6 I have been like to a pelican of the wilderness, I have been as an owl of the dry places.
Like a desert-owl of the wilderness, like an owl among ruins am I.
7 I have watched, and I am As a bird alone on the roof.
I make my sleepless lament like a bird on the house-top alone.
8 All the day mine enemies reproached me, Those mad at me have sworn against me.
All the day wild foes revile me, using my name for a curse.
9 Because ashes as bread I have eaten, And my drink with weeping have mingled,
For ashes have been my bread, and tears have been mixed with my cup.
10 From Thine indignation and Thy wrath, For Thou hast lifted me up, And dost cast me down.
Because of your passionate anger, you did raise me, then hurl me to the ground.
11 My days as a shadow [are] stretched out, And I — as the herb I am withered.
My days come to an end, shadows lengthen, I wither like grass.
12 And Thou, O Jehovah, to the age abidest, And Thy memorial to all generations.
But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever, your fame endures to all generations.
13 Thou — Thou risest — Thou pitiest Zion, For the time to favour her, For the appointed time hath come.
You will arise and have pity on Zion; it’s time to be gracious; her hour has come.
14 For Thy servants have been pleased with her stones, And her dust they favour.
For even her stones are dear to your servants, even the dust of her ruins they look on with love.
15 And nations fear the name of Jehovah, And all kings of the earth Thine honour,
Then the nations will revere the name of the Lord and all the kings of the earth his glory,
16 For Jehovah hath builded Zion, He hath been seen in His honour,
when the Lord shall have built up Zion, and revealed himself in his glory,
17 He turned unto the prayer of the destitute, And He hath not despised their prayer.
in response to the prayer of the destitute, whose prayer he will not despise.
18 This is written for a later generation, And the people created do praise Jah.
Let this be recorded for ages to come, that the Lord may be praised by a people yet unborn.
19 For He hath looked From the high place of His sanctuary. Jehovah from heaven unto earth looked attentively,
For he shall look down from his holy height, from the heavens the Lord will gaze on the earth,
20 To hear the groan of the prisoner, To loose sons of death,
to hear the groans of the prisoner, to free those who are doomed to die;
21 To declare in Zion the name of Jehovah, And His praise in Jerusalem,
that people may recount the Lord’s fame in Zion, and the praise of him in Jerusalem,
22 In the peoples being gathered together, And the kingdoms — to serve Jehovah.
when the nations are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to worship the Lord.
23 He hath humbled in the way my power, He hath shortened my days.
He has broken my strength on the way, he has shortened my days.
24 I say, 'My God, take me not up in the midst of my days,' Through all generations [are] Thine years.
I will say, “My God, take me not hence in the midst of my days. “Your years endure age after age.
25 Beforetime the earth Thou didst found, And the work of Thy hands [are] the heavens.
Of old you have founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They — They perish, and Thou remainest, And all of them as a garment become old, As clothing Thou changest them, And they are changed.
They shall perish; but you do stand. They shall all wax old like a garment, and change as a robe you will change them.
27 And Thou [art] the same, and Thine years are not finished.
But you are the same, your years are endless.
28 The sons of Thy servants do continue, And their seed before Thee is established!
The children of your servants abide, evermore shall their seed be before you.”
