Psalm Chapter 102 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
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.
More Psalms Chapter 102 (Old Testament)
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, shall 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.
More Continued
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.
More Psalms Chapter 102 (Old Testament)
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.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 102:1
Verse: שְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי יְהוָה
Transliteration: Shema t’filati Adonai
English: “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto You.”
Focus Word: תְּפִלָּה (Tefillah)
- Root: פ-ל-ל (Pe-Lamed-Lamed)
- Meaning: “Prayer,” “supplication,” “entreaty.”
- Deeper Insight: Tefillah conveys personal, heartfelt communication with God, often blending petition, praise, and reflection.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning / Morphology | Notes + Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| תְּפִלָּה — tefillah | Verse 1 — “A prayer of the afflicted…” | “Prayer,” supplication. | Tefillah (“prayer”) reflects earnest appeal arising from distress. It is deeply personal rather than ceremonial. The term frames the Psalm as lament addressed to God. — Delitzsch, Commentary |
| צַעַר — tsa‘ar | Verse 2 — “…in my distress.” | “Distress,” affliction. | Tsa‘ar (“distress”) denotes internal anguish and pressure. It conveys emotional and physical strain. The term highlights vulnerability before God. — Gesenius, Lexicon |
| שַׁחַח — shachach | Verse 5 — “…my heart is stricken and withered…” | “To wither,” sink down. | Shachach (“to wither”) expresses deep emotional collapse. It portrays vitality fading under suffering. The verb intensifies the imagery of inner exhaustion. — Keil, Commentary |
| דָּבַק — davak | Verse 5 — “…my bones cling to my flesh.” | “To cling,” stick fast. | Davak (“to cling”) communicates extreme emaciation and frailty. It emphasizes physical consequences of distress. The term underscores total depletion. — Gesenius, Lexicon |
| דְּמוּת — demut | Verse 6 — “I am like a pelican…” | “Likeness,” comparison. | Demut (“likeness”) conveys symbolic comparison through imagery. It expresses isolation in visual metaphor. The term heightens poetic lament. — Delitzsch, Commentary |
| עָר — ar | Verse 7 — “…like a sparrow alone…” | “Bare,” solitary. | Ar (“alone”) implies isolation and abandonment. It emphasizes separation from community. The word identifies the psalmist’s loneliness. — Strong, Dictionary |
| קָם — qam | Verse 8 — “My enemies reproach me…” | “To rise,” stand against. | Qam (“to rise”) indicates hostile action. It marks active opposition. The verb portrays aggression from adversaries. — Keil, Commentary |
| אָכַל — akhal | Verse 9 — “I have eaten ashes like bread…” | “To eat,” consume. | Akhal (“to eat”) expresses grief so intense it alters normal living. It reveals mourning practices. The verb symbolizes despair internalized. — Gesenius, Lexicon |
| קָצַר — qatsar | Verse 11 — “…my days are like a shadow…” | “To be short,” cut off. | Qatsar (“to be short”) describes brevity and vanishing time. It expresses fragile existence. The term stands in contrast to God’s eternity. — Delitzsch, Commentary |
| עָמַד — amad | Verse 12 — “But You, O LORD, shall endure…” | “To stand,” remain, endure. | Amad (“to remain”) conveys permanence and stability. It anchors the contrast between human frailty and divine constancy. The term affirms God’s unchanging rule. — Keil, Commentary |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar (Institution & Dates) | Work | View on Psalm 102 |
|---|---|---|
| Hugh Binning (University of Glasgow, 1627–1653) | Sermons on the Psalms | Binning portrays heartfelt lament as a path to deeper reliance on God’s mercy. |
| William Lowth (University of Oxford, 1660–1732) | Commentary on the Psalms | The Psalm reflects human frailty and the enduring nature of divine compassion. |
| Johann Albrecht Bengel (University of Tübingen, 1687–1752) | Gnomon Novi Testamenti | Bengel stresses that sincere prayer sustains hope even in the midst of despair. |
| James Durham (St Andrews / Edinburgh, 1622–1658) | Commentary on the Psalms | Durham conveys that acknowledgment of personal weakness brings humility and trust. |
| Philip Doddridge (Northampton Academy, 1702–1751) | Family Expositor | God’s eternal presence offers stability for the afflicted, inspiring patient perseverance. |
| Scholar & Work | View |
|---|---|
| John Calvin – Commentary on the Psalms | Calvin sees the psalm as the voice of one overwhelmed with sorrow. Human frailty contrasts with God’s unchanging nature. The psalm anticipates Zion’s restoration. |
| Matthew Henry – Exposition on the Psalms | Henry interprets the psalm as a prayer from deep affliction. The psalmist finds hope in God’s eternal character. God’s promise assures Zion’s future blessing. |
| Albert Barnes – Notes on the Psalms | Barnes views the psalm as intense lament. The fleeting nature of life heightens dependence on God’s eternity. Zion’s rebuilding brings confidence. |
| John Morison – Practical Exposition of the Psalms | Morison sees the psalm as sorrow giving way to hope. God’s eternity is the believer’s anchor. Zion’s promised glory comforts the afflicted. |
| William Walford – Commentary on the Psalms | Walford interprets the psalm as depicting human frailty under suffering. God remains eternal and faithful. Zion will rise again in splendor. |
| Andrew A. Bonar – Christ and His Church in the Psalms | Bonar views the psalm as Christ identifying with human weakness. God’s eternal nature supports the weary. Zion’s future is assured. |
| Joseph Parker – People’s Bible Notes | Parker sees the psalm as the cry of broken humanity. God’s permanence contrasts with man’s brevity. Hope lies in divine restoration. |
| Thomas Dale – Exposition of the Psalms | Dale interprets the psalm as the afflicted confessing trust in God’s eternity. Zion’s rebuilding testifies to His faithfulness. God’s years have no end. |
| Horatius Bonar – Psalm Meditations | Bonar views the psalm as sorrow met by God’s eternal strength. Human frailty bows before divine permanence. Zion’s future joy is assured. |
| Christopher Wordsworth – Commentary on the Psalms | Wordsworth interprets the psalm as the Church crying to the Eternal One. God hears the afflicted. Zion’s restoration reveals His glory. |
PRAYER IN TIME OF DISTRESS
Thought for the day: He will answer you, do not give up.
Message:
In this scripture, it is clear to see that the Psalmist's condition was hopeless, and he had no idea when his prayer would be heard, or when the Lord would reply to his cries.
Have you ever been there?
After much prayer, he convinced himself in verse 12 that the Lord lives forever and that His remembrance will be passed down from generation to generation. In other words, he knew that God would not forget him.
It appeared that the solution would not come, but he knew that God would not forget him. See verse 13
13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come
There is a set time for you and when the set time comes, you cannot be stopped by the devil. God will always be there to fight for you.
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. Isaiah 60:1-2
Keep looking unto Jesus, and keep crying to Him. He will come at the right time and lift you from the dungeon of life.
My Counsel
Ø Do not give up.
Ø Trust God in prayer until the best time comes.
Declaration
Father, I shall hold unto you until my change comes, for in You I put my trust, in Jesus' name.
