Psalms
Chapter 102
This is the prayer of someone who is worn down and sick, crying out to God while enemies mock him. He describes his suffering in detail, then turns to God's lasting rule and to the promise that Zion will be rebuilt and the prisoners set free. The psalm ends by contrasting the earth and sky, which wear out, with God, who never changes and whose years never end.
Plain reading written for preteens. Clear and complete, at about a fifth grade reading level.
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
1LORD, listen to my prayer. Let my cry for help reach you.
2Hide 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.
2Do not turn away from me when I am in trouble. Listen to me. Answer me quickly when I call.
3For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
3My days are disappearing like smoke. My bones burn like coals in a fire.
4My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
4My heart is crushed and dried up like old grass. I even forget to eat my food.
5By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
5I groan out loud so much that I am nothing but skin and bones.
6I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
6I am like an owl out in the desert, alone in an empty place.
The KJV says "pelican" and "owl," but the Hebrew names two desert birds we cannot identify for sure. The point is a bird living alone in a wasteland.
7I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
7I lie awake at night. I am like one lonely bird sitting on a rooftop.
8Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.
8My enemies make fun of me all day long. They rage at me and use my name as a curse.
9For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
9Ashes are the only bread I eat. My tears fall into whatever I drink.
10Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
10This is because you are angry with me. You picked me up and threw me down.
11My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.
11My days are like a shadow that stretches out at sunset. I dry up like old grass.
12But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
12But you, LORD, are king forever. People will remember your name in every age.
13Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
13You will stand up and show kindness to Zion. It is time to help her. The set time has come.
Zion is another name for Jerusalem, the city where God's temple stood.
14For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.
14Your servants love even her stones. They feel tender toward her dust and rubble.
15So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
15Then the nations will respect the name of the LORD. Every king on earth will honor your glory.
"Heathen" in the KJV simply means the nations, that is, people who are not Israelites. It is not an insult.
16When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
16For the LORD will build Zion up again. He will show himself in all his glory.
17He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
17He will pay attention to the prayer of people who have nothing. He will not brush their prayer aside.
18This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
18Let this be written down for people not yet born, so they will praise the LORD.
19For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
19For the LORD looked down from his holy place high above. From heaven he looked at the earth.
20To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
20He listened to the groans of prisoners. He set free those who were sentenced to die.
21To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
21Then people will speak the name of the LORD in Zion. They will praise him in Jerusalem.
22When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
22This will happen when nations and kingdoms gather together to serve the LORD.
23He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
23God drained my strength while I was still on the road. He cut my life short.
24I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
24So I said, "My God, do not take me away when my life is only half over. Your years go on forever."
25Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
25Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth. Your own hands made the skies.
26They 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:
26They will come to an end, but you will remain. They will all wear out like clothes. You will change them like a worn coat, and they will be gone.
27But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
27But you never change. Your years will never end.
28The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.
28The children of your servants will live safely. Their families will stand firm before you.
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