Psalms 102
1 Yahweh, listen to what I am praying; hear me while I cry out to you!
A Prayer of the afflicted when he is feeble, and before Jehovah poureth out his plaint. O Jehovah, hear my prayer, yea, my cry to Thee cometh.
2 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!
Hide not Thou Thy face from me, In a day of mine adversity, Incline unto me Thine ear, In the day I call, haste, answer me.
3 My life is ending, like smoke that disappears [SIM]; I have [a high fever which] burns my body like a fire burns [SIM].
For consumed in smoke have been my days, And my bones as a fire-brand have burned.
4 [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.
Smitten as the herb, and withered, is my heart, For I have forgotten to eat my bread.
5 I groan loudly, and my bones can be seen under my skin [because I have become very thin].
From the voice of my sighing Hath my bone cleaved to my flesh.
6 I am like a [lonely and despised] vulture in the desert, like an owl by itself in the abandoned ruins [of a building/city].
I have been like to a pelican of the wilderness, I have been as an owl of the dry places.
7 I lie awake [at night]; [because there is no one to comfort me], I am like a lonely bird [sitting] on a housetop [SIM].
I have watched, and I am As a bird alone on the roof.
8 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.
All the day mine enemies reproached me, Those mad at me have sworn against me.
9 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!
Because ashes as bread I have eaten, And my drink with weeping have mingled,
From Thine indignation and Thy wrath, For Thou hast lifted me up, And dost cast me down.
11 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].
My days as a shadow [are] stretched out, And I — as the herb I am withered.
12 But Yahweh, you are our king who rules [MTY] forever; people who are not yet born will remember you.
And Thou, O Jehovah, to the age abidest, And Thy memorial to all generations.
13 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.
Thou — Thou risest — Thou pitiest Zion, For the time to favour her, For the appointed time hath come.
14 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.
For Thy servants have been pleased with her stones, And her dust they favour.
15 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.
And nations fear the name of Jehovah, And all kings of the earth Thine honour,
16 You will rebuild Jerusalem, and you will appear there with your glory/brightness.
For Jehovah hath builded Zion, He hath been seen in His honour,
17 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.
He turned unto the prayer of the destitute, And He hath not despised their prayer.
18 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.
This is written for a later generation, And the people created do praise Jah.
19 They will know that you looked down from your holy/sacred place in heaven [DOU] and saw [what was happening on] the earth.
For He hath looked From the high place of His sanctuary. Jehovah from heaven unto earth looked attentively,
20 They will know that you hear prisoners groaning and that you will set free those who have been told, “You will be executed.”
To hear the groan of the prisoner, To loose sons of death,
21 As a result, people in Jerusalem will praise you [DOU] for what you [have done]
To declare in Zion the name of Jehovah, And His praise in Jerusalem,
22 when many people [from other people-groups] and [those who are citizens of other] kingdoms gather to worship you.
In the peoples being gathered together, And the kingdoms — to serve Jehovah.
23 [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).
He hath humbled in the way my power, He hath shortened my days.
24 I say to you, “My God, do not cause me to die now, before I become old! You live forever!
I say, 'My God, take me not up in the midst of my days,' Through all generations [are] Thine years.
25 You created the world long ago, and you made (the heavens/everything in the sky) with your own hands.
Beforetime the earth Thou didst found, And the work of Thy hands [are] the heavens.
26 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,
They — They perish, and Thou remainest, And all of them as a garment become old, As clothing Thou changest them, And they are changed.
27 but you are [not like the things that you created], [because you are] always the same; you never die.
And Thou [art] the same, and Thine years are not finished.
28 [Some day] our children will live safely [in Jerusalem], and their descendants will be protected in your presence.”
The sons of Thy servants do continue, And their seed before Thee is established!
