Psalm 102

A Plea for Personal and National Help

102A prayer of one afflicted, when he grows faint

and pours out his lament before Yahweh.^a

¹O Yahweh, hear my prayer,

and let my cry for help come to you.

²Do not hide your face from me

in the day of my trouble.

Incline your ear to me.

In the day I call, answer me quickly,

³for my days vanish in smoke,

and my bones are charred like a hearth.

⁴My heart is struck like grass and withers.

Indeed, I forget to eat^b my bread.

⁵Because of the sound of my groaning

my bones^c cling to my skin.^d

⁶I am like an owl^e of the wilderness;

I am like a little owl of the ruins.

⁷I lie awake and I am

like a lone bird on a roof.

⁸All the day my enemies reproach me;

those who mock me swear oaths against me.

⁹Indeed, I eat ashes like bread

and mix my drink with tears^f

¹⁰because of your indignation and anger,

for you have picked me up and thrown me away.

¹¹My days are like a lengthened shadow,

and I wither like grass.

¹²But you, O Yahweh, abide^g forever,

and your remembrance^h from generation to generation.ⁱ

¹³You rise up and take pity on Zion,

because it is time to favor it,

for the appointed time has come.

¹⁴Your servants take pleasure in her stones,

and show favor to its dust.

¹⁵Then the nations will fear the name of Yahweh,

and all the kings of the earth your glory.

¹⁶For Yahweh will rebuild Zion;

he will appear in his glory.

¹⁷He will turn his attention to the prayer of the destitute

and will not despise their prayer.

¹⁸Let this be written for the next generation,

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

¹⁹that he looked down from his holy height.

Yahweh looked from heaven over the earth

²⁰to hear the groaning of the prisoner,

to liberate those destined to die,^k

²¹so that they^l may make known in Zion the name of Yahweh,

and his praise in Jerusalem,

²²when the peoples assemble,

together with^m kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.

²³He has broken my strength along the way;

he has cut short my days.

²⁴I say, “My God, do not carry me off

from my life in the middle of my days.”

Your years continue throughout all generations.

²⁵Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands.

²⁶They will perish, but you will endure.

And like a garment they will all wear out,

you will replace them like clothing, and they will be set aside.

²⁷But you are the same,

and your years do not end.

²⁸The children of your servants will continue,

and their descendantsⁿ will be established before you.