Psalm 102

A prayer of one overwhelmed with trouble, pouring out problems before the Lord.

¹Lord, hear my prayer!

Listen to my plea!

²Don’t turn away from me

in my time of distress.

Bend down to listen,

and answer me quickly when I call to you.

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^a—

and now is the time to pity her,

now is the time you promised to help.

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.

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.

¹⁸Let this be recorded for future generations,

so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord.

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.

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.

²⁶They will perish, but you remain forever;

they will wear out like old clothing.

You will change them like a garment

and discard them.

²⁷But you are always the same;

you will live forever.

²⁸The children of your people

will live in security.

Their children’s children

will thrive in your presence.”