The Bible — World English Bible
Psalm 102
In brief
Psalm 102 is the prayer of an afflicted person, worn down, who pours out his complaint before the Lord. The title gives no author and no specific circumstance. The psalmist describes his exhaustion, his loneliness and his tears without holding back, then he lifts his eyes: God reigns forever, he will rebuild Zion, and he pays attention to the prayer of the destitute. The psalm ends on the eternity of God, who stays the same when everything else passes away. The New Testament quotes it in Hebrews 1 to speak about Christ.
The chapter in 3 parts
1Hear my prayer, Yahweh! Let my cry come to you.
2Don’t hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Turn your ear to me. Answer me quickly in the day when I call.
3For my days consume away like smoke. My bones are burned as a torch.
4My heart is blighted like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread.
5By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bones stick to my skin.
6I am like a pelican of the wilderness. I have become as an owl of the waste places.
7I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop.
8My enemies reproach me all day. Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.
9For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,
10because of your indignation and your wrath; for you have taken me up and thrown me away.
11My days are like a long shadow. I have withered like grass.
12But you, Yahweh, will remain forever; your renown endures to all generations.
13You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for it is time to have pity on her. Yes, the set time has come.
14For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust.
15So the nations will fear Yahweh’s name, all the kings of the earth your glory.
16For Yahweh has built up Zion. He has appeared in his glory.
17He has responded to the prayer of the destitute, and has not despised their prayer.
18This will be written for the generation to come. A people which will be created will praise Yah.
19For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, Yahweh saw the earth;
20to hear the groans of the prisoner; to free those who are condemned to death;
21that men may declare Yahweh’s name in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
22when the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.
23He weakened my strength along the course. He shortened my days.
24I said, “My God, don’t take me away in the middle of my days. Your years are throughout all generations.
25Of old, you laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the work of your hands.
26They will perish, but you will endure. Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed.
27But you are the same. Your years will have no end.
28The children of your servants will continue. Their offspring will be established before you.”
Key verses
Hear my prayer, Yahweh! Let my cry come to you. Don’t hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Turn your ear to me. Answer me quickly in the day when I call.
The psalmist opens with a simple cry: hear me, do not hide your face. He prays as he is, without masking his distress, and he brings it to God instead of keeping it to himself.
But you, Yahweh, will remain forever; your renown endures to all generations.
The “But you” is where the psalm turns. The distress stays real, but it is placed before a God whose reign does not pass away and whose renown lasts through every generation.
He has responded to the prayer of the destitute, and has not despised their prayer.
God is not bothered by the prayer of someone who has nothing left. He pays attention and does not despise it: feeling crushed is no obstacle to prayer.
Of old, you laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will endure. Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed. But you are the same. Your years will have no end.
The created world wears out like a garment, but God remains. These verses are taken up in Hebrews 1:10-12 and applied to Jesus Christ.
Bible verses to meditate on
Test your knowledge
Frequently asked questions about Psalm 102
What does Psalm 102 mean?
It is the prayer of a person at the end of their strength. They describe their suffering in very concrete terms, then turn to a God who reigns forever, who will rebuild Zion and who listens to the captives. The psalm teaches that you can bring your distress to God without disguising it, and that his faithfulness goes beyond whatever you are going through.
Who wrote Psalm 102?
The title names no author. It only speaks of the prayer of an afflicted person who pours out his complaint before the Lord. Verses 13 to 22 speak of the restoration of Zion, which suggests a time of exile or of Jerusalem in ruins. The author stays anonymous, which allows everyone to recognize themselves in it.
How do you pray Psalm 102 when you feel discouraged?
You can read it aloud in two stages. With verses 1 to 11, tell God exactly what weighs you down, without a filter. Then, from verse 12, slowly reread who God is: he reigns, he pays attention, he remains. Finish by entrusting a specific person or situation to him, and by thanking him for his constancy.
World English Bible translation — public domain.