Psalm 102
English Standard Version
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!
2 (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!
3 For my days (J)pass away like smoke,
and my (K)bones burn like a furnace.
4 My heart is (L)struck down like grass and (M)has withered;
I (N)forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of my loud groaning
my (O)bones cling to my flesh.
6 I am like (P)a desert owl of the wilderness,
like an owl[a] of the waste places;
7 I (Q)lie awake;
I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
8 All the day my enemies taunt me;
those who (R)deride me (S)use my name for a curse.
9 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
- Psalm 102:6 The precise identity of these birds is uncertain
Psalm 102
New Living Translation
Psalm 102
A prayer of one overwhelmed with trouble, pouring out problems before the Lord.
1 Lord, hear my prayer!
Listen to my plea!
2 Don’t turn away from me
in my time of distress.
Bend down to listen,
and answer me quickly when I call to you.
3 For my days disappear like smoke,
and my bones burn like red-hot coals.
4 My heart is sick, withered like grass,
and I have lost my appetite.
5 Because of my groaning,
I am reduced to skin and bones.
6 I am like an owl in the desert,
like a little owl in a far-off wilderness.
7 I lie awake,
lonely as a solitary bird on the roof.
8 My enemies taunt me day after day.
They mock and curse me.
9 I eat ashes for food.
My tears run down into my drink
10 because of your anger and wrath.
For you have picked me up and thrown me out.
11 My life passes as swiftly as the evening shadows.
I am withering away like grass.
12 But you, O Lord, will sit on your throne forever.
Your fame will endure to every generation.
13 You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem[a]—
and now is the time to pity her,
now is the time you promised to help.
14 For your people love every stone in her walls
and cherish even the dust in her streets.
15 Then the nations will tremble before the Lord.
The kings of the earth will tremble before his glory.
16 For the Lord will rebuild Jerusalem.
He will appear in his glory.
17 He will listen to the prayers of the destitute.
He will not reject their pleas.
18 Let this be recorded for future generations,
so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord.
19 Tell them the Lord looked down
from his heavenly sanctuary.
He looked down to earth from heaven
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to release those condemned to die.
21 And so the Lord’s fame will be celebrated in Zion,
his praises in Jerusalem,
22 when multitudes gather together
and kingdoms come to worship the Lord.
23 He broke my strength in midlife,
cutting short my days.
24 But I cried to him, “O my God, who lives forever,
don’t take my life while I am so young!
25 Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth
and made the heavens with your hands.
26 They will perish, but you remain forever;
they will wear out like old clothing.
You will change them like a garment
and discard them.
27 But you are always the same;
you will live forever.
28 The children of your people
will live in security.
Their children’s children
will thrive in your presence.”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
