New Living Translation

Psalms • Chapter 102

1 LORD, hear my prayer!<br>Listen to my plea!<br> 2 Don’t turn away from me<br>in my time of distress.<br>Bend down to listen,<br>and answer me quickly when I call to you.<br> 3 For my days disappear like smoke,<br>and my bones burn like red-hot coals.<br> 4 My heart is sick, withered like grass,<br>and I have lost my appetite.<br> 5 Because of my groaning,<br>I am reduced to skin and bones.<br> 6 I am like an owl in the desert,<br>like a little owl in a far-off wilderness.<br> 7 I lie awake,<br>lonely as a solitary bird on the roof.<br> 8 My enemies taunt me day after day.<br>They mock and curse me.<br> 9 I eat ashes for food.<br>My tears run down into my drink<br> 10 because of your anger and wrath.<br>For you have picked me up and thrown me out.<br> 11 My life passes as swiftly as the evening shadows.<br>I am withering away like grass.<br> 12 But you, O LORD, will sit on your throne forever.<br>Your fame will endure to every generation.<br> 13 You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem —<br>and now is the time to pity her,<br>now is the time you promised to help.<br> 14 For your people love every stone in her walls<br>and cherish even the dust in her streets.<br> 15 Then the nations will tremble before the LORD.<br>The kings of the earth will tremble before his glory.<br> 16 For the LORD will rebuild Jerusalem.<br>He will appear in his glory.<br> 17 He will listen to the prayers of the destitute.<br>He will not reject their pleas.<br> 18 Let this be recorded for future generations,<br>so that a people not yet born will praise the LORD.<br> 19 Tell them the LORD looked down<br>from his heavenly sanctuary.<br>He looked down to earth from heaven<br> 20 to hear the groans of the prisoners,<br>to release those condemned to die.<br> 21 And so the LORD’s fame will be celebrated in Zion,<br>his praises in Jerusalem,<br> 22 when multitudes gather together<br>and kingdoms come to worship the LORD.<br> 23 He broke my strength in midlife,<br>cutting short my days.<br> 24 But I cried to him, “O my God (Elohim), who lives forever,<br>don’t take my life while I am so young!<br> 25 Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth<br>and made the heavens with your hands.<br> 26 They will perish, but you remain forever;<br>they will wear out like old clothing.<br>You will change them like a garment<br>and discard them.<br> 27 But you are always the same;<br>you will live forever.<br> 28 The children of your people<br>will live in security.<br>Their children’s children<br>will thrive in your presence.”<br>