患难中的祈祷

受苦之人的祷告,在疲惫不堪时向耶和华的倾诉。

102 耶和华啊,求你听我的祷告,
垂听我的呼求!
我在危难的时候,
求你不要掩面不理我。
求你垂听我的呼求,
赶快应允我。
我的年日如烟消散,
我全身如火焚烧。
我的心被摧残,如草枯萎,
以致我不思饮食。
我因哀叹而瘦骨嶙峋。
我就像旷野中的鸮鸟,
又像废墟中的猫头鹰。
我无法入睡,
我就像屋顶上一只孤伶伶的麻雀。
我的仇敌终日辱骂我,
嘲笑我的用我的名字咒诅人。
我以炉灰为食物,
眼泪拌着水喝,
10 因为你向我大发烈怒,
把我抓起来丢在一边。
11 我的生命就像黄昏的影子,
又如枯干的草芥。

12 耶和华啊!唯有你永远做王,
你的大名万代长存。
13 你必怜悯锡安,
因为现在是你恩待她的时候了,时候到了。
14 你的仆人们喜爱城中的石头,
怜惜城中的尘土。
15 列国敬畏耶和华的名,
世上的君王都因祂的荣耀而战抖。
16 因为耶和华必重建锡安,
带着荣耀显现。
17 祂必垂听穷人的祷告,
不藐视他们的祈求。

18 要为后代记下这一切,
好让将来的人赞美耶和华。
19 耶和华从至高的圣所俯视人间,
从天上察看大地,
20 要垂听被囚之人的哀叹,
释放被判死刑的人。
21-22 这样,万族万国聚集、敬拜
耶和华时,
人们必在锡安传扬祂的名,
在耶路撒冷赞美祂。

23 祂使我未老先衰,
缩短了我的岁月。
24 我说:“我的上帝啊,
你世代长存,
求你不要叫我中年早逝。
25 太初你奠立大地的根基,
亲手创造诸天。
26 天地都要消亡,
但你永远长存。
天地都会像外衣渐渐破旧,
你必更换天地,如同更换衣服,
天地都要消逝。
27 但你永远不变,
你的年日永无穷尽。
28 你仆人的后代必生生不息,
在你面前安然居住。”

102 «Preghiera dell'afflitto mentre è abbattuto ed effonde il suo lamento davanti all'Eterno.» O Eterno ascolta la mia preghiera e giunga a te il mio grido.

Non nascondermi il tuo volto nel giorno della mia avversità. Tendi verso di me il tuo orecchio; quando ti invoco affrettati a rispondermi.

Poiché i miei giorni svaniscono come fumo e le mie ossa ardono come un tizzone.

Il mio cuore è percosso e inaridisce come l'erba, e dimentico persino di prendere cibo.

A forza di gemere la mia pelle si attacca alle mie ossa.

Rassomiglio al pellicano del deserto e sono diventato come il gufo dei luoghi desolati.

Sono insonne e sono come il passero solitario sul tetto.

I miei nemici mi scherniscono tutto il giorno; quelli che mi deridono imprecano contro di me.

Poiché mangio cenere come pane e mescolo lacrime a quel che bevo,

10 Sí, a motivo del tuo sdegno e della tua ira, mi hai sollevato e gettato lontano,

11 I miei giorni sono come ombra che si allunga, e io inaridisco come erba.

12 Ma tu, o Eterno, rimani per sempre, e il tuo ricordo dura per ogni età.

13 Tu ti leverai e avrai compassione di Sion, perché è tempo di usarle misericordia; e il tempo fissato è giunto.

14 Poiché i tuoi servi hanno affezione alle sue stesse pietre e hanno pietà della sua polvere.

15 Sí, le nazioni temeranno il nome dell'Eterno e tutti i re della terra la tua gloria,

16 quando l'Eterno ricostruirà Sion e apparirà nella sua gloria.

17 Egli ascolterà la preghiera dei derelitti e non disprezzerà la loro supplica.

18 Questo sarà scritto per la generazione futura, e il popolo che sarà creato loderà l'Eterno,

19 perché egli guarda dall'alto del suo santuario; dal cielo l'Eterno osserva la terra,

20 per udire il gemito dei prigionieri, per liberare i condannati a morte;

21 affinché proclamino in Sion il nome dell'Eterno e la sua lode in Gerusalemme,

22 quando i popoli e i regni si raduneranno insieme per servire l'Eterno.

23 Per via egli ha diminuito il mio vigore e ha abbreviato i miei giorni.

24 Ho detto: «DIO mio, non portarmi via nel mezzo dei miei giorni. I tuoi anni durano per ogni età.

25 Anticamente tu hai stabilito la terra e i cieli sono opera delle tue mani;

26 essi periranno, ma tu rimarrai: si logoreranno tutti come un vestito; tu li muterai come una veste ed essi saranno cambiati,

27 Ma tu sei sempre lo stesso e gli anni tuoi non avranno mai fine.

28 I figli dei tuoi servi avranno una dimora, e la loro progenie sarà stabile davanti a te».

102 1 It seemeth that this prayer was appointeth to the faithful to pray in the captivity of Babylon. 16 A consolation for the building of the Church:   18 whereof followeth the praise of God to be published unto all posterity. 22 The conversion of the Gentiles, 28 and the stability of the Church.

A prayer [a]of the afflicted, when he shall be in distress, and pour forth his meditation before the Lord.

O Lord hear my prayer, and let my [b]cry come unto thee.

Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble: incline thine ears unto me, when I call, make haste to hear me.

For my days are [c]consumed like smoke, and my bones are burnt like an hearth.

Mine heart is smitten, and withered like grass, because I forgat [d]to eat my bread.

For the voice of my groaning, my bones do cleave to my skin.

I am like a [e]pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the deserts.

I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.

Mine enemies revile me daily, and they that rage against me, have [f]sworn against me.

Surely I have [g]eaten ashes as bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,

10 Because of thine [h]indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast heaved me up, and cast me down.

11 My days are like a shadow that fadeth, and I am withered like grass.

12 But thou, O Lord, dost [i]remain forever, and thy remembrance from generation to generation.

13 Thou wilt arise and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to have mercy thereon, for the [j]appointed time is come.

14 For thy servants delight in the [k]stones thereof, and have pity on the dust thereof.

15 Then the heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory,

16 When the Lord shall build up Zion, and shall appear [l]in his glory,

17 And shall turn unto the prayer of the desolate, and not despise their prayer.

18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be [m]created, shall praise the Lord.

19 For he hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary: out of the heaven did the Lord behold the earth,

20 That he might hear the mourning of the prisoner, and deliver the [n]children of death.

21 That they may declare the Name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem,

22 When the people shall be gathered [o]together, and the kingdoms to serve the Lord.

23 He [p]abated my strength in the way, and shortened my days.

24 And I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years endure from generation to generation.

25 Thou hast aforetime laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thine hands.

26 [q]They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: even they all shall wax old as doth a garment: as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed.

27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

28 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall stand [r]fast in thy sight.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 102:1 Whereby is signified, that albeit we be in never so great miseries, yet there is ever place left for prayer.
  2. Psalm 102:1 He declareth that in our prayer we must lively feel that, which we desire, and steadfastly believe to obtain.
  3. Psalm 102:3 These excessive kinds of speech show how much the affliction of the Church ought to wound the hearts of the godly.
  4. Psalm 102:4 My sorrows were so great, that I passed not for mine ordinary food.
  5. Psalm 102:6 Ever mourning and solitary, casting out fearful cries.
  6. Psalm 102:8 Have conspired my death.
  7. Psalm 102:9 I have not risen out of my mourning to take my refection.
  8. Psalm 102:10 He showeth that the afflictions did not only thus move him, but chiefly the feeling of God’s displeasure.
  9. Psalm 102:12 Howsoever we be frail, yet thy promise is sure, and the remembrance thereof shall confirm us forever.
  10. Psalm 102:13 That is, the seventy years which by the Prophet Jeremiah thou didst appoint, Jer. 29:12.
  11. Psalm 102:14 The more that the Church is in misery and desolation, the more ought the faithful to love and pity it.
  12. Psalm 102:16 That is, when he shall have drawn his church out of the darkness of death.
  13. Psalm 102:18 The deliverance of the Church is a most excellent benefit, and therefore he compareth it to a new creation: for in their banishment the body of the Church seemed to have been dead, which by deliverance was as it were created anew.
  14. Psalm 102:20 Who now in their banishment could look for nothing but death.
  15. Psalm 102:22 He showeth that God’s Name is never more praised, than when religion flourisheth and the church increaseth: which thing is chiefly accomplished under the kingdom of Christ.
  16. Psalm 102:23 The Church laments that they see not the time of Christ, which was promised, but have but few years and short days.
  17. Psalm 102:26 If heaven and earth perish, much more man shall perish: but the Church by reason of God’s promise endureth forever.
  18. Psalm 102:28 Seeing thou hast chosen thy Church out of the world, and joined it to thee, it cannot but continue forever: for thou art everlasting.