Psalms 102

Superscription: a prayer of the afflicted

תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי כִֽי-יַעֲטֹף וְלִפְנֵי יְהוָה יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחֽוֹ׃
*
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.

The sufferer's complaint of wasting days

יְהוָה שִׁמְעָה תְפִלָּתִי וְשַׁוְעָתִי אֵלֶיךָ תָבֽוֹא׃
1
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and my cry let come unto thee.
אַל-תַּסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ׀ מִמֶּנִּי בְּיוֹם צַר לִי הַטֵּֽה-אֵלַי אָזְנֶךָ בְּיוֹם אֶקְרָא מַהֵר עֲנֵֽנִי׃
2
Hide 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.
כִּֽי-כָלוּ בְעָשָׁן יָמָי וְעַצְמוֹתַי כְּמוֹ-קֵד נִחָֽרוּ׃
3
For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
הוּכָּֽה-כָעֵשֶׂב וַיִּבַשׁ לִבִּי כִּֽי-שָׁכַחְתִּי מֵאֲכֹל לַחְמִֽי׃
4
My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
מִקּוֹל אַנְחָתִי דָּבְקָה עַצְמִי לִבְשָׂרִֽי׃
5
By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
דָּמִיתִי לִקְאַת מִדְבָּר הָיִיתִי כְּכוֹס חֳרָבֽוֹת׃
6
I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
שָׁקַדְתִּי וָאֶֽהְיֶה כְּצִפּוֹר בּוֹדֵד עַל-גָּֽג׃
7
I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
כָּל-הַיּוֹם חֵרְפוּנִי אוֹיְבָי מְהוֹלָלַי בִּי נִשְׁבָּֽעוּ׃
8
Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.
כִּי-אֵפֶר כַּלֶּחֶם אָכָלְתִּי וְשִׁקֻּוַי בִּבְכִי מָסָֽכְתִּי׃
9
For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
מִפְּנֵֽי-זַֽעַמְךָ וְקִצְפֶּךָ כִּי נְשָׂאתַנִי וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵֽנִי׃
10
Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
יָמַי כְּצֵל נָטוּי וַאֲנִי כָּעֵשֶׂב אִיבָֽשׁ׃
11
My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

Confidence that God will restore Zion

וְאַתָּה יְהוָה לְעוֹלָם תֵּשֵׁב וְזִכְרְךָ לְדֹר וָדֹֽר׃
12
But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
אַתָּה תָקוּם תְּרַחֵם צִיּוֹן כִּי-עֵת לְחֶֽנְנָהּ כִּי-בָא מוֹעֵֽד׃
13
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
כִּֽי-רָצוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ אֶת-אֲבָנֶיהָ וְֽאֶת-עֲפָרָהּ יְחֹנֵֽנוּ׃
14
For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.
וְיִֽירְאוּ גוֹיִם אֶת-שֵׁם יְהוָה וְֽכָל-מַלְכֵי הָאָרֶץ אֶת-כְּבוֹדֶֽךָ׃
15
So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
כִּֽי-בָנָה יְהוָה צִיּוֹן נִרְאָה בִּכְבוֹדֽוֹ׃
16
When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
פָּנָה אֶל-תְּפִלַּת הָעַרְעָר וְלֹֽא-בָזָה אֶת-תְּפִלָּתָֽם׃
17
He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
תִּכָּתֶב זֹאת לְדוֹר אַחֲרוֹן וְעַם נִבְרָא יְהַלֶּל-יָֽהּ׃
18
This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
כִּֽי-הִשְׁקִיף מִמְּרוֹם קָדְשׁוֹ יְהוָה מִשָּׁמַיִם׀ אֶל-אֶרֶץ הִבִּֽיט׃
19
For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶנְקַת אָסִיר לְפַתֵּחַ בְּנֵי תְמוּתָֽה׃
20
To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
לְסַפֵּר בְּצִיּוֹן שֵׁם יְהוָה וּתְהִלָּתוֹ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
21
To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
בְּהִקָּבֵץ עַמִּים יַחְדָּו וּמַמְלָכוֹת לַעֲבֹד אֶת-יְהוָֽה׃
22
When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

God's eternal years and the psalmist's shortened days

עִנָּה בַדֶּרֶךְ ‫(כחו)‬ כֹּחִי קִצַּר יָמָֽי׃
23
He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
אֹמַר אֵלִי אַֽל-תַּעֲלֵנִי בַּחֲצִי יָמָי בְּדוֹר דּוֹרִים שְׁנוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
24
I said, O my God, take away me not in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
לְפָנִים הָאָרֶץ יָסַדְתָּ וּֽמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ שָׁמָֽיִם׃
25
Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
הֵמָּה׀ יֹאבֵדוּ וְאַתָּה תַעֲמֹד וְכֻלָּם כַּבֶּגֶד יִבְלוּ כַּלְּבוּשׁ תַּחֲלִיפֵם וְֽיַחֲלֹֽפוּ׃
26
They 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:
וְאַתָּה-הוּא וּשְׁנוֹתֶיךָ לֹא יִתָּֽמּוּ׃
27
But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
בְּנֵֽי-עֲבָדֶיךָ יִשְׁכּוֹנוּ וְזַרְעָם לְפָנֶיךָ יִכּֽוֹן׃
28
The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.

Places in Psalms 102

People, Places & Things in Psalms 102