Psalm 102

Psalm 102

Affliction in Light of Eternity

A prayer of an afflicted person who is weak and pours out his lament before the Lord. ⁿ

¹Lord, hear my prayer;

let my cry for help come before You. ^o

²Do not hide Your face from me in my day of trouble.

Listen closely to me;

answer me quickly when I call. ^p

³For my days vanish like smoke,

and my bones burn like a furnace. ^q

⁴My heart is afflicted, withered like grass; ^r

I even forget to eat my food. ^s

⁵Because of the sound of my groaning,

my flesh sticks to my bones. ^t

⁶I am like a desert owl, ^u

like an owl among the ruins. ^v

⁷I stay awake; ^w

I am like a solitary bird on a roof.

⁸My enemies taunt me all day long;

they ridicule and curse me. ^x

⁹I eat ashes like bread

and mingle my drinks with tears ^y

¹⁰because of Your indignation and wrath;

for You have picked me up and thrown me aside. ^z

¹¹My days are like a lengthening shadow,

and I wither away like grass. ^a

¹²But You, Lord, are enthroned forever; ^b

Your fame endures to all generations. ^c

¹³You will rise up and have compassion on Zion,

for it is time to show favor to her—

the appointed time has come. ^d

¹⁴For Your servants take delight in its stones

and favor its dust. ^e

¹⁵Then the nations will fear the name of Yahweh,

and all the kings of the earth Your glory, ^f

¹⁶for the Lord will rebuild Zion;

He will appear in His glory. ^g

¹⁷He will pay attention to the prayer of the destitute

and will not despise their prayer. ^h

¹⁸This will be written for a later generation,

and a newly created people will praise the Lord: ⁱ

¹⁹He looked down from His holy heights—

the Lord gazed out from heaven to earth ^j—

²⁰to hear a prisoner’s groaning,

to set free those condemned to die, ^kl

²¹so that they might declare

the name of Yahweh in Zion

and His praise in Jerusalem, ^m

²²when peoples and kingdoms are assembled

to serve the Lord. ⁿ

²³He has broken my ^ostrength in midcourse;

He has shortened my days. ^p

²⁴I say: “My God, do not take me

in the middle of my life! ^q

Your years continue through all generations. ^r

²⁵Long ago You established the earth,

and the heavens are the work of Your hands. ^s

²⁶They will perish, but You will endure;

all of them will wear out like clothing.

You will change them like a garment,

and they will pass away. ^t

²⁷But You are the same,

and Your years will never end. ^u

²⁸Your servants’ children will dwell securely,

and their offspring will be established before You.” ^v