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。”

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

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