Psalms

A Prayer for the Humbled One when he is about to faint, and before Yahweh poureth out his grief.

102 O Yahweh, hear thou my prayer, And let my cry for help unto thee enter in.

2 Do not hide thy face from me In the day when I am in distress,—Bend down unto me thine ear, In the day when I call speedily answer me.

3 For consumed in smoke are my days, And my bones like a burning mass are scorched through;

4 Smitten like herbage so is my heart dried up, For I have forgotten to eat my food.

5 At the noise of my groaning my bone hath cleaved to my flesh:

6 I am like the pelican of the desert, I have become as an owl among ruins.

7 I have watched and am become Like a bird sitting alone upon a house-top.

8 All the day have mine enemies reproached me, And they who are mad against me by me have sworn.

9 For ashes—like bread have I eaten, And my drink—with my tears have I mingled;

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 extended, And I as green herbage do wither.

12 But thou O Yahweh age-abidingly wilt remain, And the memorial of thee to generation after generation.

13 Thou wilt arise, wilt have compassion upon Zion, Surely it is time to favour her, Surely the time appointed hath come;

14 Seeing that thy servants take pleasure in her stones, And her dust they favour:

15 That the nations may revere thy Name, O Yahweh, And all the kings of the earth thy glory.

16 When Yahweh hath built up Zion, Hath appeared in his glory;

17 Hath turned towards the prayer of the destitute, And not despised their prayer

18 This shall be written for a later generation, And a people to be created will give praise unto Yah:—

19 That he looked down out of his holy height, Yahweh from the heavens unto the earth directed his gaze;—

20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner, To set free them who were appointed to death.

21 To the end the Name of Yahweh might be celebrated in Zion And his praise in Jerusalem:

22 When the peoples gather themselves together, And the kingdoms to serve Yahweh.

23 He hath prostrated in the way my strength,—He hath shortened my days.

24 I said, O my God, do not remove me in the midst of my days, Throughout the generation of generations are thy years;

25 Of old—the earth thou didst found, And the work of thy hands are the heavens;

26 They shall perish But thou wilt abide; And they all like a garment shall fall in pieces, As a vesture wilt thou change them and they shall vanish;

27 But thou art the same,—And thy years shall have no end:

28 The children of thy servants shall continue,—And their seed before thee be established.