Psalm 102

Authorship

This Psalm is anonymous.

Outline

(This began as Wendland's Expository Outline, but may be adapted.)

I. The cry of the afflicted: (1-2)

A. Hear my prayer, O Lord.

B. Let my cry come unto Thee.

C. Hide not Thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble.

D. Incline Thine ear unto me.

E. In the day when I call answer me speedily.

II. The condition of the afflicted: (3-11)

A. My days are consumed like smoke.

B. My bones are burned as an hearth.

C. My heart is smitten, and withered like grass.

D. I forget to eat my bread.

E. By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.

F. I am like:

1. A pelican of the wilderness.

2. An owl of the desert.

3. A sparrow alone upon the house top.

Note: All of these are unnatural locations for these creatures. Pelicans don’t live in the wilderness; owls don’t dwell in the desert; sparrows stay in flocks. He was saying that his condition was unnatural.

G. My enemies reproach me all the day. They are mad and have sworn against me.

H. I have eaten ashes like bread and mingled my drink with weeping.

I. I feel Thy indignation and Thy wrath: for Thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.

J. My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

III. The Lord of the afflicted: (12-17)

A. He endures for ever; His remembrance unto all generations.

B. He will arise and have mercy upon Zion:

1. The time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

2. For Thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.

3. The heathen shall fear His name and the kings of the earth His glory.

4. When Zion is built, the Lord shall appear in His glory.

5. He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer.

IV. A record for the afflicted: This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. (18)

V. Compassion for the afflicted: (19-22)

A. He has looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth.

B. To hear the groaning of the prisoner.

C. To loose those that are appointed to death.

D. To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem.

E. To gather the people and kingdoms together to serve the Lord.

(Note: The Millennium Kingdom...no more affliction!)

VI. The temporal nature of man’s affliction vs. the eternal natural of God: (23-27)

A. Man’s years are temporal:

1. He is weakened in the way (through affliction).

2. His days are shortened (affliction isn’t eternal).

3. His prayer is, “O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days.”

(Don’t let affliction do me in before my time!)

B. God’s years are eternal:

1. Throughout all generations.

2. From creation:

a. He laid the foundation of the earth.

b. The heavens are the work of His hands.

3. These things shall perish, grow old like a garment, and be changed: But He shall endure.

4. He is the same.

5. His years have no end.

VII. A promise to the afflicted. (28)

A. The children of Thy servants shall continue.

B. Their seed shall be established before Thee.

Textual Criticism

The following is from Barthélemy's Critique textuelle de l’Ancien Testament volume on the Psalms. For a key to the various symbols and abbreviations, click here.

Ps 102,4(3) בְּעָשָׁן {C} MT, S // assim-ctext: m, G, Hebr, T כעשן

Ps 102,8(7)A וָאֶֽהְיֶה {A}

Ps 102,8(7)B בּוֹדֵד {B} MT, G, Hebr / / usu: m, S נוֹדֵד / dbl: T

Ps 102,9(8) מְהוֹלָלַי {C} MT // err-voc: G, S clav מְהַלֲלַי, T clav מְהוֹלֲלַי / lic: Hebr

Ps 102,14(13) כִּי־עֵת לְחֶנְנָהּ כִּי־בָא מוֹעֵד {A} MT, Qb, G, α'σ', Hebr, T // abr-styl: g S clav כִּי־עֵת בָּא לְחֶנְנָהּ

Ps 102,24-25(23-24) קִצַּ֥ר יָמָי׃ אֹמַר אֵלִי {C} MT, α', σ', Hebr, T // theol: Qb, G, S, clav :קְצֹר יָמָי אֱמֹר אֵלַי