Psalm 102

Psalm 102

A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the Lord.

^*Hear my prayer,^a Lord;

let my cry for help^b come to you.

Do not hide your face^c from me

when I am in distress.

Turn your ear^d to me;

when I call, answer me quickly.

For my days vanish like smoke;^e

my bones^f burn like glowing embers.

My heart is blighted and withered like grass;^g

I forget to eat my food.^h

In my distress I groan aloudⁱ

and am reduced to skin and bones.

I am like a desert owl,^j

like an owl among the ruins.

I lie awake;^k I have become

like a bird alone^l on a roof.

All day long my enemies^m taunt me;ⁿ

those who rail against me use my name as a curse.^o

For I eat ashes^p as my food

and mingle my drink with tears^q

because of your great wrath,^r

for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.

My days are like the evening shadow;^s

I wither^t away like grass.

But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever;^u

your renown endures^v through all generations.^w

You will arise^x and have compassion^y on Zion,

for it is time^z to show favor^a to her;

the appointed time^b has come.

For her stones are dear to your servants;

her very dust moves them to pity.

The nations will fear^c the name of the Lord,

all the kings^d of the earth will revere your glory.

For the Lord will rebuild Zion^e

and appear in his glory.^f

He will respond to the prayer^g of the destitute;

he will not despise their plea.

Let this be written^h for a future generation,

that a people not yet createdⁱ may praise the Lord:

“The Lord looked down^j from his sanctuary on high,

from heaven he viewed the earth,

to hear the groans of the prisoners^k

and release those condemned to death.”

So the name of the Lord will be declared^l in Zion

and his praise^m in Jerusalem

when the peoples and the kingdoms

assemble to worshipⁿ the Lord.

In the course of my life he broke my strength;

he cut short my days.^o

So I said:

“Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days;

your years go on^p through all generations.

In the beginning^q you laid the foundations of the earth,

and the heavens^r are the work of your hands.^s

They will perish,^t but you remain;

they will all wear out like a garment.

Like clothing you will change them

and they will be discarded.

But you remain the same,^u

and your years will never end.^v

The children of your servants^w will live in your presence;

their descendants^x will be established before you.”