2 Hide not Thou Thy face from me, In a day of mine adversity, Incline unto me Thine ear, In the day I call, haste, answer me.
And hide not Thy face from Thy servant, For I am in distress -- haste, answer me.
Hide not Thy face from me, Turn not aside in anger Thy servant, My help Thou hast been. Leave me not, nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.
No temptation hath taken you -- except human; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but He will make, with the temptation, also the outlet, for your being able to bear `it'.
Peter, therefore, indeed, was kept in the prison, and fervent prayer was being made by the assembly unto God for him, and when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night was Peter sleeping between two soldiers, having been bound with two chains, guards also before the door were keeping the prison, and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the buildings, and having smitten Peter on the side, he raised him up, saying, `Rise in haste,' and his chains fell from off `his' hands. The messenger also said to him, `Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals;' and he did so; and he saith to him, `Put thy garment round and be following me;' and having gone forth, he was following him, and he knew not that it is true that which is done through the messenger, and was thinking he saw a vision, and having passed through a first ward, and a second, they came unto the iron gate that is leading to the city, which of its own accord did open to them, and having gone forth, they went on through one street, and immediately the messenger departed from him. And Peter having come to himself, said, `Now I have known of a truth that the Lord did sent forth His messenger, and did deliver me out of the hand of Herod, and all the expectation of the people of the Jews;' also, having considered, he came unto the house of Mary, the mother of John, who is surnamed Mark, where there were many thronged together and praying. And Peter having knocked at the door of the porch, there came a damsel to hearken, by name Rhoda, and having known the voice of Peter, from the joy she did not open the porch, but having run in, told of the standing of Peter before the porch, and they said unto her, `Thou art mad;' and she was confidently affirming `it' to be so, and they said, `It is his messenger;' and Peter was continuing knocking, and having opened, they saw him, and were astonished, and having beckoned to them with the hand to be silent, he declared to them how the Lord brought him out of the prison, and he said, `Declare to James and to the brethren these things;' and having gone forth, he went on to another place. And day having come, there was not a little stir among the soldiers what then was become of Peter, and Herod having sought for him, and not having found, having examined the guards, did command `them' to be led away to punishment, and having gone down from Judea to Cesarea, he was abiding `there'. And Herod was highly displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians, and with one accord they came unto him, and having made a friend of Blastus, who `is' over the bed-chambers of the king, they were asking peace, because of their country being nourished from the king's; and on a set day, Herod having arrayed himself in kingly apparel, and having sat down upon the tribunal, was making an oration unto them, and the populace were shouting, `The voice of a god, and not of a man;' and presently there smote him a messenger of the Lord, because he did not give the glory to God, and having been eaten of worms, he expired. And the word of God did grow and did multiply, and Barnabas and Saul did turn back out of Jerusalem, having fulfilled the ministration, having taken also with `them' John, who was surnamed Mark.
When thou passest into waters, I `am' with thee, And into floods, they do not overflow thee, When thou goest into fire, thou art not burnt, And a flame doth not burn against thee.
And I have waited for Jehovah, Who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob, And I have looked for Him.
Thou dost not take away my transgression, And cause to pass away mine iniquity, Because now, for dust I lie down: And Thou hast sought me -- and I am not!
My prayer cometh in before Thee, Incline Thine ear to my loud cry, For my soul hath been full of evils, And my life hath come to Sheol. I have been reckoned with those going down `to' the pit, I have been as a man without strength. Among the dead -- free, As pierced ones lying in the grave, Whom Thou hast not remembered any more, Yea, they by Thy hand have been cut off. Thou hast put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in depths. Upon me hath Thy fury lain, And `with' all Thy breakers Thou hast afflicted. Selah. Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me, Thou hast made me an abomination to them, Shut up -- I go not forth. Mine eye hath grieved because of affliction, I called Thee, O Jehovah, all the day, I have spread out unto Thee my hands. To the dead dost Thou do wonders? Do Rephaim rise? do they thank Thee? Selah. Is Thy kindness recounted in the grave? Thy faithfulness in destruction? Are Thy wonders known in the darkness? And Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? And I, unto Thee, O Jehovah, I have cried, And in the morning doth my prayer come before Thee. Why, O Jehovah, castest Thou off my soul? Thou hidest Thy face from me. I `am' afflicted, and expiring from youth, I have borne Thy terrors -- I pine away. Over me hath Thy wrath passed, Thy terrors have cut me off, They have surrounded me as waters all the day, They have gone round against me together, Thou hast put far from me lover and friend, Mine acquaintance `is' the place of darkness!
To the Overseer, by David. -- `To cause to remember.' O God, to deliver me, O Jehovah, for my help, haste.
Be pleased, O Jehovah, to deliver me, O Jehovah, for my help make haste.
And Thou, O Jehovah, be not far off, O my strength, to help me haste.
To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. Till when, O Jehovah, Dost Thou forget me? -- for ever? Till when dost Thou hide Thy face from me?
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.