Psalms 102
102
From Tears to Praise
A prayer for those who are overwhelmed and for all the discouraged who come to pour out their hearts before the Lord # 102 As translated from the Septuagint.
1Lord, listen to my prayer! Listen to my cry for help!
2You can’t hide your face from me in the day of my distress.
Stoop down to hear my prayer and answer me quickly, Lord!
3-4For my days of happiness have gone up in smoke.
My body is raging with fever, my heart is sick,
and I’m consumed by this illness—
withered like a dead leaf. I can’t even eat.
5I’m nothing but skin and bones.
Nothing’s left of me but whispered groans.
6I’m like a pelican of the wilderness, # 102:6 Ancient expositors viewed the “pelican in the wilderness” as a reference to Christ. The famous legend and much medieval artwork taught that the pelican would give the gift of blood to her starving young by piercing her own breast with her beak, allowing her young to drink her blood and live. What an amazing example of sacrificial love. Augustine writes concerning this: “The mother wounds herself deeply and pours forth her blood over her young, bathed in which they recover life.” See Augustine, “Exposition on the Book of Psalms,” in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, ed. A. Cleveland Coxe and Philip Schaff (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1955), 8:497.
like an owl among the ruins.
7I’m sleepless, shivering in the cold, forlorn, and friendless,
like a lonely bird on the rooftop.
8My every enemy mocks and insults me incessantly.
They even use my name as a curse to speak over others!
9-10Because of your great and furious anger against me,
all I do is suffer with sorrow,
with nothing to eat but a meal of mourning. # 102:9–10 Or “I eat ashes as if they were bread.” Ashes speak of mourning, for mourners would often throw dust and ashes over their heads.
My crying fills my cup with salty tears!
In your wrath you have rejected me,
sweeping me away like dirt on the floor.
11My days are marked by the lengthening shadows of death.
I’m withering away and there’s nothing left of me.
12But then I remember that you, O Lord,
still sit enthroned as King over all!
The fame of your name will be revealed to every generation.
13I know you are about to arise and show your tender love to Zion.
Now is the time, Lord,
for your compassion and mercy to be poured out—
the appointed time has come
for your prophetic promises to be fulfilled!
14For your servants weep in sympathy over Zion’s ruins
and feel love for her every stone.
15When you arise to intervene,
all the nations and kings will be stunned
and will fear your awesome name, trembling before your glory!
16Yes, you will reveal yourself to Zion
and appear in the brightness of your glory
to restore her and give her children.
17He responds to the prayer of the poor and broken
and will not despise the cry of the homeless.
18Write all this down for the coming generation,
so re-created people # 102:18 Or “those born anew [re-created].” will read it and praise the Lord!
19Tell them how Yah # 102:19 Taken from Yahweh. Yah is often used as the name of the God of Power. looked down from his high and holy place,
gazing from his glory to survey the earth.
20He listened to all the groaning of his people longing to be free,
and he set loose the sons of death to experience life.
21Multitudes will stream to Jerusalem to
praise the Lord and declare his name in Zion!
22Peoples from every land, their kings and kingdoms,
will gather together to worship the Lord.
23But God has brought me to my knees, shortening my life.
24So I cry out to you, my God, Father of eternity,
please don’t let me die!
I know my life is not yet finished.
25With your hands you once formed the foundations of the earth
and handcrafted the heavens above.
26-27They will all fade away one day like worn-out clothing,
ready to be discarded, but you’ll still be here.
You will replace it all!
Your first creation will be changed,
but you alone will endure, the God of all eternity!
28Generation after generation our descendants will live securely,
for you are the one protecting us, keeping us for yourself.
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Psalms 102: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationPsalms 102
102
A prayer for a time of suffering, when anyone feels weak and wants to tell their complaints to the Lord.
1Lord, hear my prayer.
Listen to my cry for help.
2Don’t turn away from me when I have troubles.
Listen to me, and answer me quickly when I cry for help.
3My life is passing away like smoke.
My life is like a fire slowly burning out.
4My strength is gone—
I am like dry, dying grass.
I even forget to eat.
5Because of my sadness, I am losing so much weight
that my skin hangs from my bones.
6I am lonely, like an owl living in the desert,
like an owl living among old ruined buildings.
7I cannot sleep.
I am like a lonely bird on the roof.
8My enemies insult me all the time.
They make fun of me and use me as an example in their curses.
9My great sadness is my only food.
My tears fall into my drink.
10You were angry with me,
so you picked me up and threw me away.
11My life is almost finished, like the long shadows at the end of the day.
I am like dry and dying grass.
12But you, Lord, will rule as king forever!
Your name will continue forever and ever!
13You will rise up and comfort Zion.
The time has come for you to be kind to Zion.
14Your servants love her stones.
They love even the dust of that city!
15The nations will worship the Lord’s name.
All the kings on earth will honor you.
16The Lord will rebuild Zion,
and people will again see her glory.
17He will listen to the prayers of those in poverty.
He will not ignore them.
18Write these things for future generations,
so that they will praise the Lord.
19The Lord will look down from his Holy Place above.
He will look down at the earth from heaven.
20And he will hear the prisoner’s prayers.
He will free those who were condemned to die.
21Then people in Zion will tell about the Lord.
They will praise his name in Jerusalem
22when nations gather together
and kingdoms come to serve the Lord.
23My strength failed me.
My life is cut short.
24So I said, “Don’t let me die while I am still young.
God, you will live forever and ever!
25Long ago, you made the world.
You made the sky with your own hands!
26The earth and sky will end,
but you will live forever!
They will wear out like clothes,
and like clothes, you will change them.
27But you never change.
You will live forever!
28We are your servants today.
Our children will live here,
and their descendants will come here to worship you.”
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