Psalm 102

¹ A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD, 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 housetop.

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 LORD, shalt abide for ever; and thy memorial unto all generations.

¹³ Thou shalt 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 the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory:

¹⁶ For the LORD 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 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 sighing of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

²¹ That men may declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

²² When the peoples 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.