Psalms 102

The prayer of the afflicted

Lord, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea!a ²Don’t turn away from me in my time of distress. Bend down to listen, and answer me quickly when I call to you.b ³For my days disappear like smoke, and my bones burn like red-hot coals.

⁴My heart is sick, withered like grass, and I have lost my appetite. ⁵Because of my groaning, I am reduced to skin and bones. ⁶I am like an owl in the desert, like a little owl in a far-off wilderness.

⁷I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof. ⁸My enemies taunt me day after day. They mock and curse me. ⁹I eat ashes for food. My tears run down into my drink ¹⁰because of your anger and wrath. For you have picked me up and thrown me out.

¹¹My life passes as swiftly as the evening shadows. I am withering away like grass. ¹²But you, O Lord, will sit on your throne forever. Your fame will endure to every generation. ¹³You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem— and now is the time to pity her, now is the time you promised to help.c

¹⁴For your people love every stone in her walls and cherish even the dust in her streets. ¹⁵Then the nations will tremble before the Lord. The kings of the earth will tremble before his glory.d ¹⁶For the Lord will rebuild Jerusalem. He will appear in his glory.

¹⁷He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas.e ¹⁸Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord.f ¹⁹Tell them the Lord looked down from his heavenly sanctuary. He looked down to earth from heaven ²⁰to hear the groans of the prisoners, to release those condemned to die.g

²¹And so the Lord’s fame will be celebrated in Zion, his praises in Jerusalem, ²²when multitudes gather together and kingdoms come to worship the Lord. ²³He broke my strength in midlife, cutting short my days.

²⁴But I cried to him, “O my God, who lives forever, don’t take my life while I am so young! ²⁵Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands.h ²⁶They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them.i

²⁷But you are always the same; you will live forever.j ²⁸The children of your people will live in security. Their children’s children will thrive in your presence.”