1 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, And let my cry come unto thee.
2 Hide not thy face from me in the day of my distress: Incline thine ear unto me; In the day when I call answer me speedily.
3 For my days consume away like smoke, And my bones are burned as a firebrand.
4 My heart is smitten like grass, and withered; For I forget to eat my bread.
5 By reason of the voice of my groaning My bones cleave to my flesh.
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am become as an owl of the waste places.
7 I watch, and am become like a sparrow That is alone upon the house-top.
8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day; They that are mad against me do curse by 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 taken me up, and cast me away.
11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; And I am withered like grass.
12 But thou, O Jehovah, wilt abide for ever; And thy memorial `name' unto all generations.
13 Thou wilt arise, and have mercy upon Zion; For it is time to have pity upon her, Yea, the set time is come.
14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, And have pity upon her dust.
15 So the nations shall fear the name of Jehovah, And all the kings of the earth thy glory.
16 For Jehovah hath built up Zion; He hath appeared in his glory.
17 He hath regarded the prayer of the destitute, And hath not despised their prayer.
18 This shall be written for the generation to come; And a people which shall be created shall praise Jehovah.
19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; From heaven did Jehovah behold the earth;
20 To hear the sighing of the prisoner; To loose those that are appointed to death;
21 That men may declare the name of Jehovah in Zion, And his praise in Jerusalem;
22 When the peoples are gathered together, And the kingdoms, to serve Jehovah.
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 didst thou lay 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. Psalm 103 `A Psalm' of David.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 102
Commentary on Psalms 102 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 102
Ps 102:1-28. A Prayer of the afflicted, &c.—The general terms seem to denote the propriety of regarding the Psalm as suitably expressive of the anxieties of any one of David's descendants, piously concerned for the welfare of the Church. It was probably David's composition, and, though specially suggested by some peculiar trials, descriptive of future times. Overwhelmed—(compare Ps 61:2). Poureth out—pouring out the soul—(Ps 62:8). Complaint—(Ps 55:2). The tone of complaint predominates, though in view of God's promises and abiding faithfulness, it is sometimes exchanged for that of confidence and hope.
1-3. The terms used occur in Ps 4:1; 17:1, 6; 18:6; 31:2, 10; 37:20.
4. (Compare Ps 121:6).
so that I forget—or, "have forgotten," that is, in my distress (Ps 107:18), and hence strength fails.
5. voice … groaning—effect put for cause, my agony emaciates me.
6, 7. The figures express extreme loneliness.
8. sworn against me—or literally, "by me," wishing others as miserable as I am (Nu 5:21).
9. ashes—a figure of grief, my bread; weeping or tears, my drink (Ps 80:5).
10. lifted … cast me down—or, "cast me away" as stubble by a whirlwind (Isa 64:6).
11. shadow … declineth—soon to vanish in the darkness of night.
12. Contrast with man's frailty (compare Ps 90:1-7).
thy remembrance—that by which Thou art remembered, Thy promise.
13, 14. Hence it is here adduced.
for—or, "when."
the set time, &c.—the time promised, the indication of which is the interest felt for Zion by the people of God.
15-17. God's favor to the Church will affect her persecutors with fear.
16. When the Lord shall build—or better, "Because the Lord hath built," &c., as a reason for the effect on others; for in thus acting and hearing the humble, He is most glorious.
18. people … created—(compare Ps 22:31), an organized body, as a Church.
19-22. For—or, "That," as introducing the statement of God's condescension. A summary of what shall be written.
to loose … appointed—or, "deliver" them (Ps 79:11).
21. To declare, &c.—or, that God's name may be celebrated in the assemblies of His Church, gathered from all nations (Zec 8:20-23), and devoted to His service.
23-28. The writer, speaking for the Church, finds encouragement in the midst of all his distresses. God's eternal existence is a pledge of faithfulness to His promises.
in the way—of providence.
weakened—literally, "afflicted," and made fearful of a premature end, a figure of the apprehensions of the Church, lest God might not perform His promise, drawn from those of a person in view of the dangers of early death (compare Ps 89:47). Paul (Heb 1:10) quotes Ps 102:26-28 as addressed to Christ in His divine nature. The scope of the Psalm, as already seen, so far from opposing, favors this view, especially by the sentiments of Ps 102:12-15 (compare Isa 60:1). The association of the Messiah with a day of future glory to the Church was very intimate in the minds of Old Testament writers; and with correct views of His nature it is very consistent that He should be addressed as the Lord and Head of His Church, who would bring about that glorious future on which they ever dwelt with fond delightful anticipations.