102 O Yahweh, hear my prayer,
and let my cry for help come to you.
² Do 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,
³ for my days vanish in smoke,
and my bones are charred like a hearth.
⁴ My heart is struck like grass and withers.
Indeed, I forget to eat^[b] my bread.
⁵ Because of the sound of my groaning
my bones^[c] cling to my skin.^[d]
6 I am like an owl^[e] of the wilderness;
I am like a little owl of the ruins.
⁷ I lie awake and I am
like a lone bird on a roof.
⁸ All the day my enemies reproach me;
those who mock me swear oaths against me.
⁹ Indeed, I eat ashes like bread
and mix my drink with tears^[f]
10 because of your indignation and anger,
for you have picked me up and thrown me away.
¹¹ My days are like a lengthened shadow,
and I wither like grass.
¹² But you, O Yahweh, abide^[g] forever,
and your remembrance^[h] from generation to generation.^[i]
13 You rise up and take pity on Zion,
because it is time to favor it,
for the appointed time has come.
¹⁴ Your servants take pleasure in her stones,
and show favor to its dust.
¹⁵ Then the nations will fear the name of Yahweh,
and all the kings of the earth your glory.
¹⁶ For Yahweh will rebuild Zion;
he will appear in his glory.
¹⁷ He will turn his attention to the prayer of the destitute
and will not despise their prayer.
¹⁸ Let this be written for the next generation,
so that a people yet to be created may praise Yah,^[j]
19 that he looked down from his holy height.
Yahweh looked from heaven over the earth
²⁰ to hear the groaning of the prisoner,
to liberate those destined to die,^[k]
21 so that they^[l] may make known in Zion the name of Yahweh,
and his praise in Jerusalem,
²² when the peoples assemble,
together with^[m] kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.
²³ He has broken my strength along the way;
he has cut short my days.
²⁴ I say, “My God, do not carry me off
from my life in the middle of my days.”
Your years continue throughout all generations.
²⁵ Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
²⁶ They 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.
²⁷ But you are the same,
and your years do not end.
²⁸ The children of your servants will continue,
and their descendants^[n] will be established before you.