Unknown
Psalm 102
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.
Scripture (KJV)
1Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee.
2Hide 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.
3For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
4My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
5By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
6I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
7I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
8Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.
9For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
10Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
11My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.
12But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
13Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
14For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.
15So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
16When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
17He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
18This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.
19For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth;
20To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
21To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
22When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.
23He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
24I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
25Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
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:
27But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
28The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.
Summary
Psalm 102 is an individual lament whose superscription frames it as “a prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed.” The psalmist pours out his complaint with vivid imagery—days consumed like smoke, bones burned like a hearth, a heart withered like grass, a pelican in the wilderness, a lone sparrow on a rooftop. He attributes his suffering to God’s indignation and wrath, yet even in the depths he turns toward hope: the Lord endures forever, will arise to have mercy on Zion, and will not despise the prayer of the destitute. The psalm pivots from personal anguish to confidence that God will rebuild Zion and gather the nations to serve Him.
The closing verses soar into a hymn of God’s eternal immutability: the heavens and earth will perish, but the Lord remains the same, and His servants’ children will be established. Hebrews 1:10-12 applies these very verses to Christ, revealing the psalm’s messianic depth. The major themes are lament, God’s eternity, mercy, restoration of Zion, and hope for future generations. Practically, the psalm teaches that honest complaint and confident hope can coexist, and that the eternal God hears the prayers of the destitute. The great lesson is that our frailty is held by the One who never changes.
Key Themes
A Prayer from Psalm 102
Eternal Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry come to You. Hide not Your face in the day of my trouble; incline Your ear and answer me speedily. My days are consumed like smoke and my bones burn within me; I am lonely as a sparrow on a rooftop. Yet You endure forever, and Your remembrance is to all generations. Arise and have mercy on Zion, for the set time to favor her has come. Regard the prayer of the destitute, and do not despise my cry. Look down from Your holy height to loose those appointed to death and to declare Your name in Zion. Though my days are shortened, take me not away in the midst of my years, for You are the same and Your years have no end. Establish my children before You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- 1What “ashes like bread” and “drink mingled with weeping” am I presently experiencing?
- 2How does the contrast between my frailty and God’s eternity change my perspective?
- 3What does it mean that God “will not despise the prayer of the destitute”?
- 4How can my suffering be “written for the generation to come” as a witness?
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