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The Lord’s Eternal Love

A Prayer of the afflicted, (A)when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord.

102 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And let my cry come to You.
(B)Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble;
Incline Your ear to me;
In the day that I call, answer me speedily.

For my days [a]are (C)consumed like smoke,
And my bones are burned like a hearth.
My heart is stricken and withered like grass,
So that I forget to eat my bread.
Because of the sound of my groaning
My bones cling to my [b]skin.
I am like a pelican of the wilderness;
I am like an owl of the desert.
I lie awake,
And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.

My enemies reproach me all day long;
Those who deride me swear an oath against me.
For I have eaten ashes like bread,
And mingled my drink with weeping,
10 Because of Your indignation and Your wrath;
For You have lifted me up and cast me away.
11 My days are like a shadow that lengthens,
And I wither away like grass.

12 But You, O Lord, shall endure forever,
And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.
13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion;
For the time to favor her,
Yes, the set time, has come.
14 For Your servants take pleasure in her stones,
And show favor to her dust.
15 So the [c]nations shall (D)fear the name of the Lord,
And all the kings of the earth Your glory.
16 For the Lord shall build up Zion;
(E)He shall appear in His glory.
17 (F)He shall regard the prayer of the destitute,
And shall not despise their prayer.

18 This will be (G)written for the generation to come,
That (H)a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.
19 For He (I)looked down from the height of His sanctuary;
From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,
20 (J)To hear the groaning of the prisoner,
To release those appointed to death,
21 To (K)declare the name of the Lord in Zion,
And His praise in Jerusalem,
22 (L)When the peoples are gathered together,
And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

23 He weakened my strength in the way;
He (M)shortened my days.
24 (N)I said, “O my God,
Do not take me away in the midst of my days;
(O)Your years are throughout all generations.
25 (P)Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
26 (Q)They will perish, but You will [d]endure;
Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;
Like a cloak You will change them,
And they will be changed.
27 But (R)You are the same,
And Your years will have no end.
28 (S)The children of Your servants will continue,
And their descendants will be established before You.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 102:3 Lit. end in
  2. Psalm 102:5 flesh
  3. Psalm 102:15 Gentiles
  4. Psalm 102:26 continue

Psalm 102[a]

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 aloud(I)
    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)
10 because of your great wrath,(R)
    for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
11 My days are like the evening shadow;(S)
    I wither(T) away like grass.

12 But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever;(U)
    your renown endures(V) through all generations.(W)
13 You will arise(X) and have compassion(Y) on Zion,
    for it is time(Z) to show favor(AA) to her;
    the appointed time(AB) has come.
14 For her stones are dear to your servants;
    her very dust moves them to pity.
15 The nations will fear(AC) the name of the Lord,
    all the kings(AD) of the earth will revere your glory.
16 For the Lord will rebuild Zion(AE)
    and appear in his glory.(AF)
17 He will respond to the prayer(AG) of the destitute;
    he will not despise their plea.

18 Let this be written(AH) for a future generation,
    that a people not yet created(AI) may praise the Lord:
19 “The Lord looked down(AJ) from his sanctuary on high,
    from heaven he viewed the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners(AK)
    and release those condemned to death.”
21 So the name of the Lord will be declared(AL) in Zion
    and his praise(AM) in Jerusalem
22 when the peoples and the kingdoms
    assemble to worship(AN) the Lord.

23 In the course of my life[b] he broke my strength;
    he cut short my days.(AO)
24 So I said:
“Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days;
    your years go on(AP) through all generations.
25 In the beginning(AQ) you laid the foundations of the earth,
    and the heavens(AR) are the work of your hands.(AS)
26 They will perish,(AT) but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing you will change them
    and they will be discarded.
27 But you remain the same,(AU)
    and your years will never end.(AV)
28 The children of your servants(AW) will live in your presence;
    their descendants(AX) will be established before you.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 102:1 In Hebrew texts 102:1-28 is numbered 102:2-29.
  2. Psalm 102:23 Or By his power

Prayer of an Afflicted Man for Mercy on Himself and on Zion.

A Prayer of the afflicted; when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint to God.

102 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And let my cry for help come to You!

Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress!
Incline Your ear to me;
In the day when I call, answer me quickly.

For my days have vanished in smoke,
And my bones have been scorched like a hearth.

My heart has been struck like grass and withered,
Indeed, [absorbed by my heartache] I forget to eat my food.

Because of the sound of my groaning [in suffering and trouble]
My bones cling to my flesh.

I am like a [mournful] [a]vulture of the wilderness;
I am like a [desolate] owl of the wasteland.

I am sleepless and lie awake [mourning],
I have become like a lonely bird on a housetop.


My enemies taunt me all day long;
Those who ridicule me use my name as a curse.

For I have eaten ashes like bread,
And have mingled my drink with tears(A)
10 
Because of Your indignation and Your wrath,
For You have lifted me up and thrown me away.
11 
My days are like an evening shadow that lengthens and vanishes [with the sun];
And as for me, I wither away like grass.

12 
But You, O Lord, are enthroned forever [ruling eternally as sovereign];
And [the fame and glory of] Your name [endures] to all generations.
13 
You will arise and have compassion on Zion,
For it is time to be gracious and show favor to her;
Yes, the appointed time [the moment designated] has come.(B)
14 
For Your servants find [melancholy] pleasure in the stones [of her ruins]
And feel pity for her dust.
15 
So the nations will fear the name of the Lord,
And all the kings of the earth [will recognize] Your glory.(C)
16 
For the Lord has built up Zion;
He has appeared in His glory and brilliance;
17 
He has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
And has not despised their prayer.

18 
Let this be recorded for the generation to come,
That a people yet to be created will praise the Lord.
19 
For He looked down from His holy height [of His sanctuary],
From heaven the Lord gazed on the earth,
20 
To hear the sighing of the prisoner,
To set free those who were doomed to death,
21 
So that people may declare the name of the Lord in Zion
And His praise in Jerusalem,
22 
When the peoples are gathered together,
And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

23 
He has exhausted my strength [humbling me with sorrow] in the way;
He has shortened my days.
24 
I said, “O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days;
Your years are [eternal] throughout all generations.
25 
“At the beginning You founded the earth;
The heavens are the work of Your hands.
26 
“Even they will perish, but You endure;
Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment.
Like clothing You will change them and they shall be changed.
27 
“But You remain the same,
And Your years will never end.(D)
28 
“The children of Your servants will continue,
And their descendants will be established before You.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 102:6 Lit pelican, or some kind of desert bird.

Do Not Hide Your Face from Me

A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is (A)faint and (B)pours out his complaint before the Lord.

102 (C)Hear my prayer, O Lord;
let my cry (D)come to you!
(E)Do not hide your face from me
    in (F)the day of my distress!
(G)Incline your ear to me;
    (H)answer me speedily (I)in the day when I call!

For my days (J)pass away like smoke,
    and my (K)bones burn like a furnace.
My heart is (L)struck down like grass and (M)has withered;
    I (N)forget to eat my bread.
Because of my loud groaning
    my (O)bones cling to my flesh.
I am like (P)a desert owl of the wilderness,
    like an owl[a] of the waste places;
I (Q)lie awake;
    I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
All the day my enemies taunt me;
    those who (R)deride me (S)use my name for a curse.
For I eat ashes like bread
    and (T)mingle tears with my drink,
10 because of your indignation and anger;
    for you have (U)taken me up and (V)thrown me down.
11 My days are like (W)an evening shadow;
    I (X)wither away like grass.

12 But you, O Lord, are (Y)enthroned forever;
    you (Z)are remembered throughout all generations.
13 You will (AA)arise and have (AB)pity on Zion;
    it is the time to favor her;
    (AC)the appointed time has come.
14 For your servants hold her (AD)stones dear
    and have pity on her dust.
15 Nations will (AE)fear the name of the Lord,
    and all (AF)the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16 For the Lord (AG)builds up Zion;
    he (AH)appears in his glory;
17 he (AI)regards the prayer of the destitute
    and does not despise their prayer.

18 Let this be (AJ)recorded for (AK)a generation to come,
    so that (AL)a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:
19 that he (AM)looked down from his holy height;
    from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
20 to hear (AN)the groans of the prisoners,
    to set free (AO)those who were doomed to die,
21 that they may (AP)declare in Zion the name of the Lord,
    and in Jerusalem his praise,
22 when (AQ)peoples gather together,
    and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.

23 He has broken my strength in midcourse;
    he (AR)has shortened my days.
24 “O my God,” (AS)I say, “take me not away
    in the midst of my days—
(AT)you whose years endure
    throughout all generations!”

25 (AU)Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
    and (AV)the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 (AW)They will perish, but (AX)you will remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
27     but (AY)you are the same, and your years have no end.
28 (AZ)The children of your servants (BA)shall dwell secure;
    (BB)their offspring shall be established before you.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 102:6 The precise identity of these birds is uncertain

102 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.

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.

For consumed in smoke have been my days, And my bones as a fire-brand have burned.

Smitten as the herb, and withered, is my heart, For I have forgotten to eat my bread.

From the voice of my sighing Hath my bone cleaved to my flesh.

I have been like to a pelican of the wilderness, I have been as an owl of the dry places.

I have watched, and I am As a bird alone on the roof.

All the day mine enemies reproached me, Those mad at me have sworn against me.

Because ashes as bread I have eaten, And my drink with weeping have mingled,

10 From Thine indignation and Thy wrath, For Thou hast lifted me up, And dost cast me down.

11 My days as a shadow [are] stretched out, And I -- as the herb I am withered.

12 And Thou, O Jehovah, to the age abidest, And Thy memorial to all generations.

13 Thou -- Thou risest -- Thou pitiest Zion, For the time to favour her, For the appointed time hath come.

14 For Thy servants have been pleased with her stones, And her dust they favour.

15 And nations fear the name of Jehovah, And all kings of the earth Thine honour,

16 For Jehovah hath builded Zion, He hath been seen in His honour,

17 He turned unto the prayer of the destitute, And He hath not despised their prayer.

18 This is written for a later generation, And the people created do praise Jah.

19 For He hath looked From the high place of His sanctuary. Jehovah from heaven unto earth looked attentively,

20 To hear the groan of the prisoner, To loose sons of death,

21 To declare in Zion the name of Jehovah, And His praise in Jerusalem,

22 In the peoples being gathered together, And the kingdoms -- to serve Jehovah.

23 He hath humbled in the way my power, He hath shortened my days.

24 I say, `My God, take me not up in the midst of my days,' Through all generations [are] Thine years.

25 Beforetime the earth Thou didst found, And the work of Thy hands [are] the heavens.

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.

27 And Thou [art] the same, and Thine years are not finished.

28 The sons of Thy servants do continue, And their seed before Thee is established!