Psalms 102
1 A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
Yahweh, listen to what I am praying; hear me while I cry out to you!
2 Hide not thy face from me in the day [when] I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day [when] I call answer me speedily.
Do not (turn away/hide yourself) from me when I (have troubles/am distressed)! Listen to me, and answer me quickly now, when I am calling out to you!
3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
My life is ending, like smoke that disappears [SIM]; I have [a high fever which] burns my body like a fire burns [SIM].
4 My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
[I feel like] I am drying up like grass [SIM] that has been beaten/trampled down, and I no longer have a desire to eat food.
5 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
I groan loudly, and my bones can be seen under my skin [because I have become very thin].
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
I am like a [lonely and despised] vulture in the desert, like an owl by itself in the abandoned ruins [of a building/city].
7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
I lie awake [at night]; [because there is no one to comfort me], I am like a lonely bird [sitting] on a housetop [SIM].
8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day; [and] they that are mad against me are sworn against me.
All during the day my enemies insult me; those who make fun of me mention my name [and say, “May you be like him”] when they curse people.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
Because you are very angry [DOU] with me, now [I sit in] ashes [while I am suffering greatly]; and those ashes [fall on] the bread/food that I eat, and what I drink has my tears mixed with it. [It is as though] you have picked me up and thrown me away!
10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
11 My days [are] like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.
My time to remain alive is like an evening shadow [that will soon be gone] [SIM]. I am withering like grass withers [in the hot sun].
12 But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
But Yahweh, you are our king who rules [MTY] forever; people who are not yet born will remember you.
13 Thou shalt arise, [and] have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
You will arise and be merciful to [the people of] [MTY] Jerusalem; it is now time for you to do that; this is the time for you to be kind to them.
14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.
Even though (the city has been destroyed/our enemies have destroyed our city), we who serve you still love the stones that [were formerly] in the city walls; because now there is rubble everywhere, we, your people, are very sad when we see it.
15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
Yahweh, [some day the people of other] nations will revere you [MTY]; all the kings on earth will see that you are very glorious/great.
16 When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
You will rebuild Jerusalem, and you will appear there with your glory/brightness.
17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
You will listen to the prayers of your people who are homeless, and you will (not ignore them/do what they request) [LIT] when they plead with you to help them.
18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
Yahweh, [I want to] write these words in order that people in future years [will know what] you have done, in order that people who are not born yet will praise you.
19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
They will know that you looked down from your holy/sacred place in heaven [DOU] and saw [what was happening on] the earth.
20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
They will know that you hear prisoners groaning and that you will set free those who have been told, “You will be executed.”
21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
As a result, people in Jerusalem will praise you [DOU] for what you [have done]
22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
when many people [from other people-groups] and [those who are citizens of other] kingdoms gather to worship you.
23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
[But now] you have caused me to become weak while I am still young; [I think that] I will (not live much longer/ very long/soon die).
24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years [are] throughout all generations.
I say to you, “My God, do not cause me to die now, before I become old! You live forever!
25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens [are] the work of thy hands.
You created the world long ago, and you made (the heavens/everything in the sky) with your own hands.
26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:
The earth and the heavens/sky will disappear, but you will remain. They will wear out like clothes wear out. You will get rid of them like [people get rid of] old clothes, and they will no longer exist,
27 But thou [art] the same, and thy years shall have no end.
but you are [not like the things that you created], [because you are] always the same; you never die.
28 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.
[Some day] our children will live safely [in Jerusalem], and their descendants will be protected in your presence.”
