A Prayer for the Poor; when he is deeply
afflicted, and pours out his supplication before the Lord. 102:1 Hear my
prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come to thee.
102:2 Turn not away thy face from me: in the day [when] I am afflicted,
incline thine ear to me: in the day [when] I shall call upon thee, speedily
hear me.
102:3 For my days have vanished like smoke, and my bones have been parched
like a stick.
102:4 I am blighted like grass, and my heart is dried up; for I have
forgotten to eat my bread.
102:5 By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bone has cleaved to my
flesh.
102:6 I have become like a pelican of the wilderness;
102:7 I have become like an owl in a ruined house. I have watched, and am
become as a sparrow dwelling alone on a roof.
102:8 All the day long mine enemies have reproached me; and they that
praised me have sworn against me.
102:9 For I have eaten ashes as it were bread, and mingled my drink with
weeping;
102:10 because of thine anger and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and
dashed me down.
102:11 My days have declined like a shadow; and I am withered like grass.
102:12 But thou, Lord, endurest for ever, and thy memorial to generation and
generation.
102:13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Sion: for [it is] time to have
mercy upon her, for the set time is come.
102:14 For thy servants have taken pleasure in her stones, and they shall
pity her dust.
102:15 So the nations shall fear thy name, O Lord, and all kings thy glory.
102:16 For the Lord shall build up Sion, and shall appear in his glory.
102:17 He has had regard to the prayer of the lowly, and has not despised
their petition.
102:18 Let this be written for another generation; and the people that shall
be created shall praise the Lord.
102:19 For he has looked out from the height of his sanctuary; the Lord
looked upon the earth from heaven;
102:20 to hear the groaning of the fettered ones, to loosen the sons of the
slain;
102:21 to proclaim the name of the Lord in Sion, and his praise in
Jerusalem;
102:22 when the people are gathered together, and the kings, to serve the
Lord.
102:23 He answered him in the way of his strength: tell me the fewness of my
days.
102:24 Take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years [are] through all
generations.
102:25 In the beginning thou, O Lord, didst lay the foundation of the earth;
and the heavens are the works of thine hands.
102:26 They shall perish, but thou remainest: and [they all] shall wax old
as a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them, and they shall be
change.
102:27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
102:28 The children of thy servants shall dwell [securely], and their seed
shall prosper for ever. |
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is
overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. 102:1 Hear my
prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
102:2 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.
102:3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an
hearth.
102:4 My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat
my bread.
102:5 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
102:6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
102:7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
102:8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me
are sworn against me.
102:9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.
102:10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me
up, and cast me down.
102:11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like
grass.
102:12 But thou, O LORD, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all
generations.
102:13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour
her, yea, the set time, is come.
102:14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust
thereof.
102:15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of
the earth thy glory.
102:16 When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
102:17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their
prayer.
102:18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people
which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
102:19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven
did the LORD behold the earth;
102:20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are
appointed to death;
102:21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
102:22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the
LORD.
102:23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
102:24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years
are throughout all generations.
102:25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens
are the work of thy hands.
102:26 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:
102:27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
102:28 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be
established before thee. |