Reflections on Psalm 102

 

Psalm 102 (Contemporary English Version)


1. (A prayer for someone who hurts and needs to ask the LORD for help.) I pray to you, LORD! Please listen.
   
2. Don't hide from me in my time of trouble. Pay attention to my prayer and quickly give an answer.
   
3. My days disappear like smoke, and my bones are burning as though in a furnace.
   
4. I am wasting away like grass, and my appetite is gone.
   
5. My groaning never stops, and my bones can be seen through my skin.
   
6. I am like a lonely owl in the desert
   
7. or a restless sparrow alone on a roof.
   
8. My enemies insult me all day, and they use my name for a curse word.
   
9. Instead of food, I have ashes to eat and tears to drink,
   
10. because you are furious and have thrown me aside.
    
11. My life fades like a shadow at the end of day and withers like grass.
    
12. Our LORD, you are King forever and will always be famous.
    
13. You will show pity to Zion because the time has come.
    
14. We, your servants, love each stone in the city, and we are sad to see them lying in the dirt.
    
15. Our LORD, the nations will honor you, and all kings on earth will praise your glory.
    
16. You will rebuild the city of Zion. Your glory will be seen,
    
17. and the prayers of the homeless will be answered.
    
18. Future generations must also praise the LORD, so write this for them:
    
19. "From his holy temple, the LORD looked down at the earth.
    
20. He listened to the groans of prisoners, and he rescued everyone who was doomed to die."
    
21. All Jerusalem should praise you, our LORD,
    
22. when people from every nation meet to worship you.
    
23. I should still be strong, but you, LORD, have made an old person of me.
    
24. You will live forever! Years mean nothing to you. Don't cut my life in half!
    
25. In the beginning, LORD, you laid the earth's foundation and created the heavens.
    
26. They will all disappear and wear out like clothes. You change them, as you would a coat, but you last forever.
    
27. You are always the same. Years cannot change you.
    
28. Every generation of those who serve you will live in your presence.

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Psalm 102 is a great contrast to Psalm 101. In reading Psalm 101 the writer seems from the outstart to be almost bubbly in his enthusiastic praise. But in Psalm 102 the tone is immediately gloomy. In my reflections on Psalm 101 I said the beginning point when we go to God needs always to be praise "unless we are so burdened we must first unburden ourselves before we can get to the praise." That is exactly what is happening in this 102nd Psalm. The psalmist is in great affliction and needs to start by unburdening himself. But the praise does come later in the psalm. What is the affliction? We can't tell. Commentators vary in whether they think it refers to the afflictions of an individual or of Israel. Some believe it is the latter and was written while in Babylonian captivity. We don't have to know the setting to benefit from it. The lamentation portion (verses 1-11), however, seems very individual while the praise and hope portions take on more of a corporate tone.

In the beginning of the psalm, the lamentation portion, a very gloomy picture is painted. As is often the case for any of us when we are overwhelmed with difficulties, the psalmist feels abandoned by God and asks that God not hide His face from him. Though the description sounds much like a physical affliction, depression and grief could also cause one to feel as the psalmist describes. In verse 10 the psalmist sounds almost accusatory of God as if he is saying, "This is Your fault. Your indignation and wrath have caused this." If it were not for the praise that soon follows we might be left with that impression, but I think rather the psalmist recognizes the Lord has just cause for His "indignation and wrath." It is really the rebellion of the people that has brought this situation. In saying that I have just switched to the corporate focus of the psalm. The focus of the lament is personal suffering but in general the psalm is about Israel and not just the psalmist.

Despite the gloominess of the first part, the psalmist is not without hope, for the Lord is enthroned forever (v. 12), and "will arise and have compassion on Zion." When He does, the nations will fear the name of the Lord. The psalmist is confident that the Lord will "pay attention to the prayer of the destitute" and that Zion will be rebuilt. Why should the Lord do this? So they might "declare the name of the Lord in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem," and give witness of the Lord's deliverance to peoples and kingdoms assembled to serve the Lord.

As with a majority of the psalms, this one ends with praise, proclaiming God's eternal nature. It is not only praise to God, but it is hope for the psalmist and his people. Though the earth and the heavens will perish God will not. He remains the same and His years will never end. Because of this the people "will dwell securely."