Psalms 102

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[1]The prophet complaineth bitterly of his afflicted case: [12]he taketh comfort in the eternity and mercy of God. [18]The mercies of God are worthy to be recorded. [23]The prophet, sensible of his own weakness, resteth his hope on the unchangeable nature of God.

A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.

1. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.

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.

3. For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.

4. My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.

5. By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.

6. I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.

7. I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.

8. Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.

9. For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,

10. Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.

11. My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

12. But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.

13. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

14. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.

15. So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

16. When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

17. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

18. This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.

19. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

20. To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

21. To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

22. When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

23. He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.

24. I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.

25. Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

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:

27. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

28. The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.

Metrical version

Psalm 102

C.M. Martyrs, Dundee

O LORD, unto my pray'r give ear,
my cry let come to thee;
And in the day of my distress
hide not thy face from me.

Give ear to me; what time I call,
to answer me make haste:
For, as an hearth, my bones are burnt,
my days, like smoke, do waste.

My heart within me smitten is,
and it is withered
Like very grass; so that I do
forget to eat my bread.

By reason of my groaning voice
my bones cleave to my skin.
Like pelican in wilderness
forsaken I have been:

I like an owl in desert am,
that nightly there doth moan;
I watch, and like a sparrow am
on the house-top alone.

My bitter en'mies all the day
reproaches cast on me;
And, being mad at me, with rage
against me sworn they be.

For why? I ashes eaten have
like bread, in sorrows deep;
My drink I also mingled have
with tears that I did weep.

Thy wrath and indignation
did cause this grief and pain;
For thou hast lift me up on high,
and cast me down again.

My days are like unto a shade,
which doth declining pass;
And I am dried and withered,
ev'n like unto the grass.

But thou, LORD, everlasting art,
and thy remembrance shall
Continually endure, and be
to generations all.

Thou shalt arise, and mercy have
upon thy Zion yet;
The time to favour her is come,
the time that thou hast set.

For in her rubbish and her stones
thy servants pleasure take;
Yea, they the very dust thereof
do favour for her sake.

So shall the heathen people fear
the LORD's most holy name;
And all the kings on earth shall dread
thy glory and thy fame.

When Zion by the mighty LORD
built up again shall be,
In glory then and majesty
to men appear shall he.

The prayer of the destitute
he surely will regard;
Their prayer will he not despise,
by him it shall be heard.

For generations yet to come
this shall be on record:
So shall the people that shall be
created praise the LORD.

He from his sanctuary's height
hath downward cast his eye;
And from his glorious throne in heaven
the LORD the earth did spy;

That of the mournful prisoner
the groanings he might hear,
To set them free that unto death
by men appointed are:

That they in Zion may declare
the LORD's most holy name,
And publish in Jerusalem
the praises of the same;

When as the people gather shall
in troops with one accord,
When kingdoms shall assembled be
to serve the highest LORD.

My wonted strength and force he hath
abated in the way,
And he my days hath shortened:
Thus therefore did I say,

My God, in mid-time of my days
take thou me not away:
From age to age eternally
thy years endure and stay.

The firm foundation of the earth
of old time thou hast laid;
The heavens also are the work
which thine own hands have made.

Thou shalt for evermore endure,
but they shall perish all;
Yea, ev'ry one of them wax old,
like to a garment, shall:

Thou, as a vesture, shalt them change,
and they shall changed be:
But thou the same art, and thy years
are to eternity.

The children of thy servants shall
continually endure;
And in thy sight, O Lord, their seed
shall be established sure.

Psalm 102 (second version)

L.M. Martyrs, Dundee

LORD, hear my pray'r, and let my cry
Have speedy access unto thee;
In day of my calamity
O hide not thou thy face from me.

Hear when I call to thee; that day
An answer speedily return:
My days, like smoke, consume away,
And, as an hearth, my bones do burn.

My heart is wounded very sore,
And withered, like grass doth fade:
I am forgetful grown therefore
To take and eat my daily bread.

By reason of my smart within,
And voice of my most grievous groans,
My flesh consumed is, my skin,
All parched, doth cleave unto my bones.

The pelican of wilderness,
The owl in desert, I do match;
And, sparrow-like, companionless,
Upon the house's top, I watch.

I all day long am made a scorn,
Reproached by my malicious foes:
The madmen are against me sworn,
The men against me that arose.

For I have ashes eaten up,
To me as if they had been bread;
And with my drink I in my cup
Of bitter tears a mixture made.

Because thy wrath was not appeased,
And dreadful indignation:
Therefore it was that thou me raised,
And thou again didst cast me down.

My days are like a shade alway,
Which doth declining swiftly pass;
And I am withered away,
Much like unto the fading grass.

But thou, O LORD, shalt still endure,
From change and all mutation free,
And to all generations sure
Shall thy remembrance ever be.

Thou shalt arise, and mercy yet
Thou to mount Zion shalt extend:
Her time for favour which was set,
Behold, is now come to an end.

Thy saints take pleasure in her stones,
Her very dust to them is dear.
All heathen lands and kingly thrones
On earth thy glorious name shall fear.

GOD in his glory shall appear,
When Zion he builds and repairs.
He shall regard and lend his ear
Unto the needy's humble pray'rs:

Th' afflicted's pray'r he will not scorn.
All times this shall be on record:
And generations yet unborn
Shall praise and magnify the LORD.

He from his holy place looked down,
The earth he viewed from heav'n on high;
To hear the pris'ner's mourning groan,
And free them that are doomed to die;

That Zion, and Jerus'lem too,
His name and praise may well record,
When people and the kingdoms do
Assemble all to praise the LORD.

My strength he weakened in the way,
My days of life he shortened.
My God, O take me not away
In mid-time of my days, I said:

Thy years throughout all ages last.
Of old thou hast established
The earth's foundation firm and fast:
Thy mighty hands the heav'ns have made.

They perish shall, as garments do,
But thou shalt evermore endure;
As vestures, thou shalt change them so;
And they shall all be changed sure:

But from all changes thou art free;
Thy endless years do last for aye.
Thy servants, and their seed who be,
Established shall before thee stay.