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Psalm 102

Het gebed van iemand die bijna dood gaat van ellende en bij de Heer zijn hart uitstort.

Heer, luister naar mijn gebed.
Ik roep U om hulp!
Laat me niet alleen nu ik in nood ben.
Luister naar mij nu ik U om hulp roep.
Antwoord mij snel!
Want mijn leven verdwijnt als een rookwolk.
Ik voel me opgebrand als hout in de haard.
Mijn hart is dor en droog als gras.
Ik vergeet zelfs om te eten.
Door al mijn verdriet ben ik vel over been geworden.
Ik voel me zo ongelukkig als een pelikaan in de woestijn.
Ik voel me zo alleen als een uil in een ruïne.
Ik kan niet meer slapen.
Ik voel me als een eenzame vogel die alleen op het dak zit.

Mijn vijanden lachen me de hele dag uit.
Ze gebruiken mijn naam als vloek.
10 Mijn brood smaakt me niet: het is alsof ik stof eet.
Mijn tranen stromen in mijn drinkbeker.
11 Want U bent boos op mij.
U heeft me opgetild en weggesmeten.
12 Mijn leven is niet meer dan een schaduw in de avondzon.
Ik voel me zo dor als verdroogd gras.

13 Maar Heer, U heerst voor eeuwig.
U blijft eeuwig bestaan.
14 Op een dag zult U komen uit medelijden met de stad Jeruzalem.
En die dag is nu gekomen.
15 We houden van elke steen van de stad.
We hebben medelijden met haar puinhopen.
16 De volken zullen ontzag voor U hebben.
Alle koningen van de aarde zullen diep ontzag hebben
voor uw hemelse macht en majesteit.
17 Want de Heer zal Jeruzalem weer opbouwen.
Hij zal in zijn volle macht en majesteit komen.
18 Hij zal luisteren naar het gebed van een volk
dat niets meer heeft.
19 Schrijf dit op voor de mensen die ná ons zullen leven.
Dan zullen ook zij de Heer prijzen.
20 Want Hij heeft ons gezien vanuit zijn heilige hemel.
Hij heeft omlaag gekeken naar de aarde.
21 Hij heeft het gezucht van de gevangenen[a] gehoord.
Hij heeft de mensen bevrijd die op de rand van de dood stonden.
22 Daarom zullen de mensen elkaar over de Heer vertellen
en Hem prijzen in Jeruzalem,
23 waar de volken en de koninkrijken
allemaal bij elkaar zullen komen om samen de Heer te aanbidden.

24 U heeft mij mijn kracht ontnomen,
mijn leven korter gemaakt.
25 Mijn God, laat me nog niet sterven.
Mijn leven is pas op de helft!
U leeft Zelf voor eeuwig.
26 U heeft in het begin de aarde neergezet.
Ook de hemel is door U gemaakt.
27 Zij zullen verdwijnen, maar U blijft.
Ze zullen verslijten als een kledingstuk.
U zal ze verwisselen zoals iemand een andere mantel aantrekt.
Ze zullen verdwijnen.
28 Maar U blijft dezelfde.
Aan uw leven komt geen einde.
29 De kinderen van uw dienaren zullen veilig wonen.
En ook hún kinderen zullen bij U veilig zijn.

Footnotes

  1. Psalmen 102:21 Bedoeld worden de mensen die door de koning van Babel waren meegenomen naar zijn land. Daar moesten ze voortaan wonen en werken.

The Lord’s Eternal Love

A Prayer of the afflicted, (A)when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord.

102 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And let my cry come to You.
(B)Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble;
Incline Your ear to me;
In the day that I call, answer me speedily.

For my days [a]are (C)consumed like smoke,
And my bones are burned like a hearth.
My heart is stricken and withered like grass,
So that I forget to eat my bread.
Because of the sound of my groaning
My bones cling to my [b]skin.
I am like a pelican of the wilderness;
I am like an owl of the desert.
I lie awake,
And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.

My enemies reproach me all day long;
Those who deride me swear an oath against me.
For I have eaten ashes like bread,
And mingled my drink with weeping,
10 Because of Your indignation and Your wrath;
For You have lifted me up and cast me away.
11 My days are like a shadow that lengthens,
And I wither away like grass.

12 But You, O Lord, shall endure forever,
And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.
13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion;
For the time to favor her,
Yes, the set time, has come.
14 For Your servants take pleasure in her stones,
And show favor to her dust.
15 So the [c]nations shall (D)fear the name of the Lord,
And all the kings of the earth Your glory.
16 For the Lord shall build up Zion;
(E)He shall appear in His glory.
17 (F)He shall regard the prayer of the destitute,
And shall not despise their prayer.

18 This will be (G)written for the generation to come,
That (H)a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.
19 For He (I)looked down from the height of His sanctuary;
From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,
20 (J)To hear the groaning of the prisoner,
To release those appointed to death,
21 To (K)declare the name of the Lord in Zion,
And His praise in Jerusalem,
22 (L)When the peoples are gathered together,
And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

23 He weakened my strength in the way;
He (M)shortened my days.
24 (N)I said, “O my God,
Do not take me away in the midst of my days;
(O)Your years are throughout all generations.
25 (P)Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
26 (Q)They will perish, but You will [d]endure;
Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;
Like a cloak You will change them,
And they will be changed.
27 But (R)You are the same,
And Your years will have no end.
28 (S)The children of Your servants will continue,
And their descendants will be established before You.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 102:3 Lit. end in
  2. Psalm 102:5 flesh
  3. Psalm 102:15 Gentiles
  4. Psalm 102:26 continue

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

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