Psalms 102

1 A PRAYER OF THE AFFLICTED WHEN HE IS FEEBLE, AND POURS OUT HIS COMPLAINT BEFORE YHWH. O YHWH, hear my prayer, indeed, my cry comes to You.

[A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the LORD.] Hear my prayer, LORD. Let my cry come to you.

2 Do not hide Your face from me, In a day of my adversity, Incline Your ear to me, In the day I call, hurry, answer me.

Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Turn your ear to me. Answer me quickly in the day when I call.

3 For my days have been consumed in smoke, And my bones have burned as a firebrand.

For my days consume away like smoke. My bones are burned like a hearth.

4 Struck as the herb, and withered, is my heart, For I have forgotten to eat my bread.

My heart is blighted like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread.

5 From the voice of my sighing My bone has cleaved to my flesh.

By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bones stick to my skin.

6 I have been like to a pelican of the wilderness, I have been as an owl of the dry places.

I am like a pelican of the wilderness. I have become as an owl of the waste places.

7 I have watched, and I am As a bird alone on the roof.

I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop.

8 All the day my enemies reproached me, Those mad at me have sworn against me.

My enemies reproach me all day. Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.

9 Because I have eaten ashes as bread, And have mingled my drink with weeping,

For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,

10 From Your indignation and Your wrath, For You have lifted me up, And cast me down.

Because of your indignation and your wrath, for you have taken me up, and thrown me away.

11 My days [are] stretched out as a shadow, And I am withered as the herb.

My days are like a long shadow. I have withered like grass.

12 And You, O YHWH, abide for all time, And Your memorial from generation to generation.

But you, LORD, will abide forever; your renown endures to all generations.

13 You rise—You pity Zion, For the time to favor her, For the appointed time has come.

You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for it is time to have pity on her. Yes, the set time has come.

14 For Your servants have been pleased with her stones, And they favor her dust.

For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust.

15 And nations fear the Name of YHWH, And all kings of the earth Your glory,

So the nations will fear the name of the LORD; all the kings of the earth your glory.

16 For YHWH has built Zion, He has been seen in His glory,

For the LORD has built up Zion. He has appeared in his glory.

17 He turned to the prayer of the destitute, And He has not despised their prayer.

He has responded to the prayer of the destitute, and has not despised their prayer.

18 This is written for a later generation, And the people created praise YAH.

This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.

19 For He has looked From the high place of His sanctuary. YHWH looked attentively from the heavens to earth,

For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, the LORD looked at the earth;

20 To hear the groan of the prisoner, To loose sons of death,

to hear the groans of the prisoner; to free those who are condemned to death;

21 To declare in Zion the Name of YHWH, And His praise in Jerusalem,

that men may declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

22 In the peoples being gathered together, And the kingdoms—to serve YHWH.

when the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

23 He has humbled my power in the way, He has shortened my days.

He weakened my strength along the course. He shortened my days.

24 I say, “My God, do not take me up in the midst of my days,” Your years [are] through all generations.

I said, "My God, do not take me away in the midst of my days. Your years are throughout all generations.

25 You founded the earth before time, And the heavens [are] the work of Your hands.

In the beginning, LORD, you established the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands.

26 They perish, and You remain, And all of them become old as a garment, You change them as clothing, And they are changed.

They will perish, but you remain; and they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed.

27 And You [are] the same, and Your years are not finished.

But you are the same. Your years will have no end.

28 The sons of Your servants continue, And their seed is established before You!

The children of your servants will continue, and their descendants will be established before you."