Psalms Chapter 102

A Prayer by the Oppressed When They’re Faint

and Pour Out Their Complaint to Yahveh

¹ Listen to my prayer, Yahveh!

      Let my cry come to you.

² Don’t turn away from me in my distress;

         when I call, answer quickly.

³ My days dissipate like smoke;

      my bones lie scorched on a hearth.

⁴ My heart is weak and withers away like grass;

      I have no appetite ⁵ in my loud groaning;

      I’m skin and bones.

⁶ I’m like a pelican in the desert,

            like an owl in desolate places;

      ⁷ I lie awake

            like a lonely bird on a housetop.                               

Ps 102:1-7

⁸ My enemies taunt me all day;

      they ridicule me and use my name as a curse.

⁹ I eat ashes for food

            and mix my drink with tears

         ¹⁰because of your indignation,

                  because you’ve thrown me away.

¹¹ My days are like a shadow;

      I wither like the grass.

¹² But you live forever, Yahveh;

      you endure for all generations.

¹³ Have mercy on Zion;

      it’s time to be gracious to it;

      the appointed time has come.

¹⁴ Your servants delight in its very rocks

      and have regard even for its dust.

¹⁵ So the nations will respect Yahveh;

      kings will respect your honor.

¹⁶ Yahveh will build up Zion;

      he’ll appear in his glory.

¹⁷ He’ll have regard for the destitute;

      he won’t disregard their prayer.

Ps 102:8-17

¹⁸ Write this for the next generation,

      so people not yet born will praise Yahveh:

¹⁹ He looked down from his holy height;

            from heaven he gazed at earth

                           ²⁰to hear the groaning prisoners,

                  to free those doomed to die;

                  ²¹so people will celebrate Yahveh in Zion

                  and praise him in Jerusalem

                           ²²when the nations gather

                  and the kingdoms assemble to serve him.           

Ps 102:18-22

²³ He weakened my strength

         in the course of my life and shortened it.

²⁴ I say to him,

         My God, don’t take me away in the middle of life;

                  you live throughout all generations.

         ²⁵You founded the earth long ago;

            the sky is your handiwork.

         ²⁶Even they will perish, but you’ll remain;

            they’ll wear out like a robe,

                  and you’ll change them like clothes.

         ²⁷But you’ll be the same; your years won’t end.

         ²⁸Your people’s children will continue in security;

            their descendants will thrive in your presence.”       

Ps 102:23-28