The Psalms

Psalm 102

A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before Jehovah.

 ^102:1Hear my prayer, O Jehovah,

 And let my cry come unto thee.

 ^102:2Hide not thy face from me in the day of my distress:

 Incline thine ear unto me;

 In the day when I call answer me speedily.

 ^102:3For my days consume away like smoke,

 And my bones are burned as a firebrand.

 ^102:4My heart is smitten like grass, and withered;

 For I forget to eat my bread.

 ^102:5By reason of the voice of my groaning

 My bones cleave to my flesh.

 ^102:6I am like a pelican of the wilderness;

 I am become as an owl of the waste places.

 ^102:7I watch, and am become like a sparrow

 That is alone upon the house-top.

 ^102:8Mine enemies reproach me all the day;

 They that are mad against me do curse by me.

 ^102:9For I have eaten ashes like bread,

 And mingled my drink with weeping,

 ^102:10Because of thine indignation and thy wrath:

 For thou hast taken me up, and cast me away.

 ^102:11My days are like a shadow that declineth;

 And I am withered like grass.

 ^102:12But thou, O Jehovah, wilt abide for ever;

 And thy memorial name unto all generations.

 ^102:13Thou wilt arise, and have mercy upon Zion;

 For it is time to have pity upon her,

 Yea, the set time is come.

 ^102:14For thy servants take pleasure in her stones,

 And have pity upon her dust.

 ^102:15So the nations shall fear the name of Jehovah,

 And all the kings of the earth thy glory.

 ^102:16For Jehovah hath built up Zion;

 He hath appeared in his glory.

 ^102:17He hath regarded the prayer of the destitute,

 And hath not despised their prayer.

 ^102:18This shall be written for the generation to come;

 And a people which shall be created shall praise Jehovah.

 ^102:19For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary;

 From heaven did Jehovah behold the earth;

 ^102:20To hear the sighing of the prisoner;

 To loose those that are appointed to death;

 ^102:21That men may declare the name of Jehovah in Zion,

 And his praise in Jerusalem;

 ^102:22When the peoples are gathered together,

 And the kingdoms, to serve Jehovah.

 ^102:23He weakened my strength in the way;

 He shortened my days.

 ^102:24I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days:

 Thy years are throughout all generations.

 ^102:25Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth;

 And the heavens are the work of thy hands.

 ^102:26They 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:

 ^102:27But thou art the same,

 And thy years shall have no end.

 ^102:28The children of thy servants shall continue,

 And their seed shall be established before thee.