Logos Bible Study

Psalm 102:12–22

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102:12But you, O Lord, rule forever,19

and your reputation endures.20

102:13You will rise up and have compassion on Zion.21

For it is time to have mercy on her,

for the appointed time has come.

102:14Indeed,22 your servants take delight in her stones,

and feel compassion for23 the dust of her ruins.24

102:15The nations will respect the reputation of the Lord,25

and all the kings of the earth will respect26 his splendor,

102:16when the Lord rebuilds Zion,

and reveals his splendor,

102:17when he responds to the prayer of the destitute,27

and does not reject28 their request.29

102:18The account of his intervention30 will be recorded for future generations;

people yet to be born will praise the Lord.

102:19For he will look down from his sanctuary above;31

from heaven the Lord will look toward earth,32

102:20in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners,

and to set free those condemned to die,33

102:21so they may proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion,

and praise him34 in Jerusalem,35

102:22when the nations gather together,

and the kingdoms pay tribute to the Lord.36

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Footnotes

  1. 19 Heb “sit” (i.e., sit enthroned, see Ps 9:7). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.
  2. 20 Heb “and your remembrance [is] for a generation and a generation.”
  3. 21 The imperfect verbal forms are understood as expressing the psalmist’s confidence in God’s intervention. Another option is to take them as expressing the psalmist’s request or wish, “You, rise up and have compassion!”
  4. 22 Or “for.”
  5. 23 The Poel of חָנַן (khanan) occurs only here and in Prov 14:21, where it refers to having compassion on the poor.
  6. 24 Heb “her dust,” probably referring to the dust of the city’s rubble.
  7. 25 Heb “will fear the name of the Lord.” To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for his revealed reputation which in turn motivates one to obey God’s commands (see Ps 86:11).
  8. 26 The verb “will fear” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the preceding line).
  9. 27 The Hebrew adjective עַרְעָר (’arar, “destitute”) occurs only here in the OT. It is derived from the verbal root ערר (“to strip oneself”).
  10. 28 Heb “despise.”
  11. 29 The perfect verbal forms in vv. 16–17 are functioning as future perfects, indicating future actions that will precede the future developments described in v. 15.
  12. 30 The Hebrew text has simply “this,” referring to the anticipated divine intervention on behalf of Zion (vv. 13, 16–17). The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  13. 31 Heb “from the height of his sanctuary.”
  14. 32 The perfect verbal forms in v. 19 are functioning as future perfects, indicating future actions that will precede the future developments described in v. 18.
  15. 33 Heb “the sons of death.” The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 79:11) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.
  16. 34 Heb “his praise.”
  17. 35 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
  18. 36 “and the kingdoms to serve the Lord.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever;

you are remembered throughout all generations.

You will arise and have pity on Zion;

it is the time to favor her;

the appointed time has come.

For your servants hold her stones dear

and have pity on her dust.

Nations will fear the name of the Lord,

and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.

For the Lord builds up Zion;

he appears in his glory;

he regards the prayer of the destitute

and does not despise their prayer.

Let this be recorded for a generation to come,

so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:

that he looked down from his holy height;

from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,

to hear the groans of the prisoners,

to set free those who were doomed to die,

that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord,

and in Jerusalem his praise,

when peoples gather together,

and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever;

your renown endures through all generations.

You will arise and have compassion on Zion,

for it is time to show favor to her;

the appointed time has come.

For her stones are dear to your servants;

her very dust moves them to pity.

The nations will fear the name of the Lord,

all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.

For the Lord will rebuild Zion

and appear in his glory.

He will respond to the prayer of the destitute;

he will not despise their plea.

Let this be written for a future generation,

that a people not yet created may praise the Lord:

“The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high,

from heaven he viewed the earth,

to hear the groans of the prisoners

and release those condemned to death.”

So the name of the Lord will be declared in Zion

and his praise in Jerusalem

when the peoples and the kingdoms

assemble to worship the Lord.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

But you, Lord, are enthroned forever;

your fame endures to all generations.

You will rise up and have compassion on Zion,

for it is time to show favor to her—

the appointed time has come.

For your servants take delight in its stones

and favor its dust.

Then the nations will fear the name of the Lord,

and all the kings of the earth your glory,

for the Lord will rebuild Zion;

he will appear in his glory.

He will pay attention to the prayer of the destitute

and will not despise their prayer.

This will be written for a later generation,

and a people who have not yet been created will praise the Lord:

He looked down from his holy heights—

the Lord gazed out from heaven to earth—

to hear a prisoner’s groaning,

to set free those condemned to die,

so that they might declare

the name of the Lord in Zion

and his praise in Jerusalem

when peoples and kingdoms are assembled

to serve the Lord.

NLTNew Living Translation

But you, O Lord, will sit on your throne forever.

Your fame will endure to every generation.

You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem—

and now is the time to pity her,

now is the time you promised to help.

For your people love every stone in her walls

and cherish even the dust in her streets.

Then the nations will tremble before the Lord.

The kings of the earth will tremble before his glory.

For the Lord will rebuild Jerusalem.

He will appear in his glory.

He will listen to the prayers of the destitute.

He will not reject their pleas.

Let this be recorded for future generations,

so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord.

Tell them the Lord looked down

from his heavenly sanctuary.

He looked down to earth from heaven

to hear the groans of the prisoners,

to release those condemned to die.

And so the Lord’s fame will be celebrated in Zion,

his praises in Jerusalem,

when multitudes gather together

and kingdoms come to worship the Lord.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But you, O Yahweh, abide forever,

and your remembrance from generation to generation.

You rise up and take pity on Zion,

because it is time to favor it,

for the appointed time has come.

Your servants take pleasure in her stones,

and show favor to its dust.

Then the nations will fear the name of Yahweh,

and all the kings of the earth your glory.

For Yahweh will rebuild Zion;

he will appear in his glory.

He will turn his attention to the prayer of the destitute

and will not despise their prayer.

Let this be written for the next generation,

so that a people yet to be created may praise Yah,

that he looked down from his holy height.

Yahweh looked from heaven over the earth

to hear the groaning of the prisoner,

to liberate those destined to die,

so that they may make known in Zion the name of Yahweh,

and his praise in Jerusalem,

when the peoples assemble,

together with kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.

KJV 1900King James Version

But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever;

And thy remembrance unto all generations.

Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion:

For the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

For thy servants take pleasure in her stones,

And favour the dust thereof.

So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord,

And all the kings of the earth thy glory.

When the Lord shall build up Zion,

He shall appear in his glory.

He will regard the prayer of the destitute,

And not despise their prayer.

This shall be written for the generation to come:

And the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.

For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary;

From heaven did the Lord behold the earth;

To hear the groaning of the prisoner;

To loose those that are appointed to death;

To declare the name of the Lord in Zion,

And his praise in Jerusalem;

When the people are gathered together,

And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.