1A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord. Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry come to you! (Ex 2:23; 1Sa 9:16; Ps 18:6; Ps 39:12; Ps 61:2; Ps 142:2)2Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call! (Ps 18:6; Ps 27:9; Ps 31:2; Ps 56:9; Ps 69:17)3For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace. (Job 30:30; Ps 31:10; Ps 37:20; La 1:13; Jas 4:14)4My heart is struck down like grass and has withered; I forget to eat my bread. (1Sa 1:7; 2Sa 12:17; 1Ki 21:4; Job 33:20; Ps 37:2; Ps 121:6; Isa 40:7; Jas 1:10)5Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my flesh. (Job 19:20)6I am like a desert owl of the wilderness, like an owl[1] of the waste places; (Job 30:29; Isa 34:11; Zep 2:14)7I lie awake; I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop. (Ps 77:4)8All the day my enemies taunt me; those who deride me use my name for a curse. (Isa 65:15; Jer 29:22; Ac 26:11)9For I eat ashes like bread and mingle tears with my drink, (Ps 42:3)10because of your indignation and anger; for you have taken me up and thrown me down. (Ps 51:11; Eze 3:12; Eze 3:14)11My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass. (Job 8:9; Ps 102:4; Ps 109:23; Ps 144:4)12But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever; you are remembered throughout all generations. (Ex 3:15; Ps 9:7; Ps 102:26; Ps 135:13)13You will arise and have pity on Zion; it is the time to favor her; the appointed time has come. (Ps 68:1; Ps 75:2; Isa 40:2; Isa 60:10; Jer 29:10; Da 9:2; Zec 1:12)14For your servants hold her stones dear and have pity on her dust. (Ne 4:2; La 4:1)15Nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory. (1Ki 8:43; Ps 138:4; Isa 59:19; Isa 60:3)16For the Lord builds up Zion; he appears in his glory; (Ps 147:2; Isa 60:1)17he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer. (Ne 1:6; Ne 1:11)18Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord: (De 31:19; Ps 22:31; Ps 48:13; Ps 78:4; Ps 78:6; Isa 43:21; Ro 15:4; 1Co 10:1)19that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the Lord looked at the earth, (Ps 11:4)20to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die, (Ps 79:11)21that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord, and in Jerusalem his praise, (Ps 22:22)22when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the Lord. (Ps 22:27; Isa 45:14)23He has broken my strength in midcourse; he has shortened my days. (Ps 89:45)24“O my God,” I say, “take me not away in the midst of my days— you whose years endure throughout all generations!” (Job 36:26; Ps 90:2; Isa 38:10; Hab 1:12)25Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. (Ge 1:1; Ge 2:1; Ps 96:5; Heb 1:10)26They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, (Ps 102:12; Isa 34:4; Isa 51:6; Mt 24:35; Heb 1:11; 2Pe 3:7; 2Pe 3:10; 2Pe 3:12; Re 20:11; Re 21:1)27but you are the same, and your years have no end. (Isa 41:4; Isa 48:12; Mal 3:6; Heb 13:8; Jas 1:17)28The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you. (Ps 37:29; Ps 69:36; Ps 112:2)
Psalm 102
New International Version
A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the Lord.
1Hear my prayer, Lord; let my cry for help come to you.2Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.3For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers.4My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food.5In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones.6I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.7I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof.8All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse.9For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears10because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.11My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.12But you, Lord, sit enthroned for ever; your renown endures through all generations.13You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favour to her; the appointed time has come.14For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity.15The nations will fear the name of the Lord, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.16For the Lord will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory.17He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.18Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord:19‘The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth,20to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.’21So the name of the Lord will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem22when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the Lord.23In the course of my life[1] he broke my strength; he cut short my days.24So I said: ‘Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations.25In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.26They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.27But you remain the same, and your years will never end.28The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.’
Psalm 102
King James Version
1A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. Hear 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.
Psalm 102
New International Reader’s Version
A prayer of a suffering person who has become weak. They pour out their problems to the Lord.
1LORD, hear my prayer. Listen to my cry for help.2Don’t turn your face away from me when I’m in trouble. Pay attention to me. When I call out for help, answer me quickly.3My days are disappearing like smoke. My body burns like glowing coals.4My strength has dried up like grass. I even forget to eat my food.5I groan out loud because of my suffering. I’m nothing but skin and bones.6I’m like a desert owl. I’m like an owl among destroyed buildings.7I can’t sleep. I’ve become like a bird alone on a roof.8All day long my enemies laugh at me. Those who make fun of me use my name as a curse.9I eat ashes as my food. My tears fall into what I’m drinking.10You were very angry with me. So you picked me up and threw me away.11The days of my life are like an evening shadow. I dry up like grass.12But LORD, you are seated on your throne for ever. Your fame will continue for all time to come.13You will rise up and show deep concern for Zion. The time has come for you to help Zion.14The stones of your destroyed city are priceless to us. Even its dust brings deep concern to us.15The nations will worship the LORD. All the kings on earth will respect his glorious power.16The LORD will build Zion again. He will appear in his glory.17He will answer the prayer of those who don’t have anything. He won’t say no to their cry for help.18Let this be written down for those born after us. Then people who are not yet born can praise the LORD.19Here is what should be written. ‘The LORD looked down from his temple in heaven. From heaven he viewed the earth.20He heard the groans of the prisoners. He set free those who were sentenced to death.’21So people will talk about him in Zion. They will praise him in Jerusalem.22Nations and kingdoms will gather there to worship the LORD.23When I was still young, he took away my strength. He wasn’t going to let me live much longer.24So I said, ‘My God, don’t let me die in the middle of my life. You will live for all time to come.25In the beginning you made the earth secure. You placed it on its foundations. Your hands created the heavens.26They will pass away. But you will remain. They will all wear out like a piece of clothing. You will make them like clothes that are taken off and thrown away.27But you remain the same. Your years will never end.28Our children will live with you. Their sons and daughters will be safe in your care.’