Psalms 102
1 A prayer of the afflicted when he is faint and pours out his lament before Yahweh. Hear my prayer, Yahweh; hear my cry to you.
A Prayer for the Poor; when he is deeply afflicted, and pours out his supplication before the Lord. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come to thee.
2 Do not hide your face from me in my time of trouble. Listen to me. When I call out to you, answer me quickly.
Turn not away thy face from me: in the day [when] I am afflicted, incline thine ear to me: in the day [when] I shall call upon thee, speedily hear me.
3 For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like fire.
For my days have vanished like smoke, and my bones have been parched like a stick.
4 My heart is crushed, and I am like grass that has withered. I forget to eat any food.
I am blighted like grass, and my heart is dried up; for I have forgotten to eat my bread.
5 With my continual groaning, I have become very thin.
By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bone has cleaved to my flesh.
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I have become like an owl in the ruins.
I have become like a pelican of the wilderness;
7 I lie awake like a solitary bird, alone on the housetop.
I have become like an owl in a ruined house. I have watched, and am become as a sparrow dwelling alone on a roof.
8 My enemies taunt me all day long; those who mock me use my name in curses.
All the day long mine enemies have reproached me; and they that praised me have sworn against me.
9 I eat ashes like bread and mix my drink with tears.
For I have eaten ashes as it were bread, and mingled my drink with weeping;
10 Because of your raging anger, you have lifted me up to throw me down.
because of thine anger and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and dashed me down.
11 My days are like a shadow that fades, and I have withered like grass.
My days have declined like a shadow; and I am withered like grass.
12 But you, Yahweh, live forever, and your fame is for all generations.
But thou, Lord, endurest for ever, and thy memorial to generation and generation.
13 You will rise up and have mercy on Zion. Now is the time to have mercy upon her; the appointed time has come.
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Sion: for [it is] time to have mercy upon her, for the set time is come.
14 For your servants hold her stones dear and feel compassion for the dust of her ruins.
For thy servants have taken pleasure in her stones, and they shall pity her dust.
15 The nations will respect your name, Yahweh, and all the kings of the earth will honor your glory.
So the nations shall fear thy name, O Lord, and all kings thy glory.
16 Yahweh will rebuild Zion and will appear in his glory.
For the Lord shall build up Sion, and shall appear in his glory.
17 At that time, he will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not reject their prayer.
He has had regard to the prayer of the lowly, and has not despised their petition.
18 This will be written for future generations, and a people not yet born will praise Yahweh.
Let this be written for another generation; and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord.
19 For he has looked down from the holy heights; from heaven Yahweh has viewed the earth,
For he has looked out from the height of his sanctuary; the Lord looked upon the earth from heaven;
20 to hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those who were condemned to death.
to hear the groaning of the fettered ones, to loosen the sons of the slain;
21 Then men will proclaim the name of Yahweh in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem
to proclaim the name of the Lord in Sion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
22 when the peoples and kingdoms gather together to serve Yahweh.
when the people are gathered together, and the kings, to serve the Lord.
23 He has taken away my strength in the middle of life. He has shortened my days.
He answered him in the way of his strength: tell me the fewness of my days.
24 I said, “My God, do not take me away in the middle of life; you are here throughout all generations.
Take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years [are] through all generations.
25 In ancient times you set the earth in place; the heavens are the work of your hands.
In the beginning thou, O Lord, didst lay the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands.
26 They will perish, but you will remain; they will all grow old like a garment; like clothing, you will remove them, and they will disappear.
They shall perish, but thou remainest: and [they all] shall wax old as a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them, and they shall be changed.
27 But you are the same, and your years will have no end.
But thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
28 The children of your servants will live on, and their descendants will live in your presence.”
The children of thy servants shall dwell [securely], and their seed shall prosper for ever.
