Psalm 102
Common English Bible
Psalm 102
A prayer of an oppressed person, when weak and pouring out grief to the Lord.
102 Lord, hear my prayer!
Let my cry reach you!
2 Don’t hide your face from me
in my time of trouble!
Listen to me!
Answer me quickly as I cry out!
3 Because my days disappear like smoke,
my bones are burned up as if in an oven;
4 my heart is smashed like dried-up grass.
I even forget to eat my food
5 because of my intense groans.
My bones are protruding from my skin.
6 I’m like some wild owl—
like some screech owl in the desert.
7 I lie awake all night.
I’m all alone like a bird on a roof.
8 All day long my enemies make fun of me;
those who mock me curse using my name!
9 I’ve been eating ashes instead of bread.
I’ve been mixing tears into my drinks
10 because of your anger and wrath,
because you picked me up and threw me away.
11 My days are like a shadow soon gone.
I’m dried up like dead grass.
12 But you, Lord, rule forever!
Your fame lasts from one generation to the next!
13 You will stand up—
you’ll have compassion on Zion
because it is time to have mercy on her—
the time set for that has now come!
14 Your servants cherish Zion’s stones;
they show mercy even to her dirt.
15 The nations will honor the Lord’s name;
all the earth’s rulers will honor your glory
16 because the Lord will rebuild Zion;
he will be seen there in his glory.
17 God will turn to the prayer of the impoverished;
he won’t despise their prayers.
18 Let this be written down for the next generation
so that people not yet created will praise the Lord:
19 The Lord looked down from his holy summit,
surveyed the earth from heaven,
20 to hear the prisoners’ groans,
to set free those condemned to death,
21 that the Lord’s name may be declared in Zion
and his praise declared in Jerusalem,
22 when all people are gathered together—
all kingdoms—to serve the Lord.
23 God broke my strength in midstride,
cutting my days short.
24 I said, “My God, don’t take me away in the prime of life—
your years go on from one generation to the next!
25 You laid the earth’s foundations long ago;
the skies are your handiwork.
26 These things will pass away, but you will last.
All of these things will wear out like clothing;
you change them like clothes, and they pass on.
27 But you are the one!
Your years never end!
28 Let your servants’ children live safe;
let your servants’ descendants live secure in your presence.”
Tehillim 102
Orthodox Jewish Bible
102 (A tefillah of one afflicted; when he is faint, he pours out his si’akh [complaint] before Hashem) Hear my tefillah, Hashem, and let my cry for help come unto Thee.
2 (3) Hide not Thy face from me in the yom tzar (day of distress); incline Thine ear unto me; in the yom when I call, answer me speedily.
3 (4) For my yamim are consumed like ashan (smoke), and my atzmot burn like a furnace.
4 (5) My lev is struck, and withered like esev; so that I forget to eat my lechem.
5 (6) By reason of the voice of my groaning my atzmot have deveykus to my basar.
6 (7) I am like a bird of the midbar; I am like an owl of the desert.
7 (8) I keep watch, and am like a tzippor (bird) alone upon the gag (housetop, roof).
8 (9) Mine oyevim (enemies) reproach me kol hayom; and they that revile me curse by me.
9 (10) For I have eaten ashes like lechem, and mingled my drink with tears.
10 (11) Because of Thine za’am (indignation) and Thy ketsef (wrath, anger); for Thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
11 (12) My days are like a tzel (shadow) that lengtheneth; and I am withered like esev (grass).
12 (13) But Thou, Hashem, shall endure l’olam; and Thy memory unto dor vador.
13 (14) Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Tziyon; for the time to favor her, the mo’ed (set time, appointed time) has come.
14 (15) For Thy avadim cherish her avanim (stones), and pity her aphar.
15 (16) So the Goyim shall fear the Shem Hashem, and all the melachim of ha’aretz will revere Thy glory.
16 (17) When Hashem shall build up Tziyon, He shall appear in His Kavod.
17 (18) He will regard the tefillah of the destitute, and not despise their tefillah.
18 (19) This shall be written for a dor acharon (future generation); and the people which shall be created shall praise Hashem.
19 (20) For He hath looked down from the height of His Kodesh; from Shomayim did Hashem behold Eretz;
20 (21) To hear the groaning of the asir (prisoner); to release those that are bnei temutah (men [appointed to] death);
21 (22) To declare the Shem Hashem in Tziyon, and His tehillah (praise) in Yerushalayim;
22 (23) When the peoples are gathered together in assembly, and the mamlachot (kingdoms), to serve Hashem.
23 (24) He bowed down my ko’ach in the derech; He cut short my yamim.
24 (25) I said, O my G-d, take me not away in the midst of my yamim; Thy years are dor dorim (throughout all generations).
25 (26) Of old hast Thou laid the foundation of ha’aretz; and Shomayim is the ma’aseh (work) of Thy hands.
26 (27) They shall perish, but Thou shalt remain; and all of them shall wear out like a beged (garment); like a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed;
27 (28) But Thou art the same, and Thy shanot (years) shall have no end.
28 (29) The children of Thy avadim shall dwell, and their zera shall be established before Thee.
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