NAS - Psalms 102 to 103

Prayer of an Afflicted Man for Mercy on Himself and on Zion.

Prayer of the Afflicted when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the LORD.

¹Hear my prayer, O LORD! And let my cry for help come to You. ²Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress; Incline Your ear to me; In the day when I call answer me quickly. ³For my days have been consumed in smoke, And my bones have been scorched like a hearth. ⁴ My heart has been smitten like grass and has withered away, Indeed, I forget to eat my bread. ⁵ Because of the loudness of my groaning My bones cling to my flesh. ⁶ I resemble a pelican of the wilderness; I have become like an owl of the waste places. ⁷ I lie awake, I have become like a lonely bird on a housetop.

⁸My enemies have reproached me all day long; Those who deride me have used my name as a curse. ⁹ For I have eaten ashes like bread And mingled my drink with weeping ¹⁰ Because of Your indignation and Your wrath, For You have lifted me up and cast me away. ¹¹ My days are like a lengthened shadow, And I wither away like grass.

¹²But You, O LORD, abide forever, And Your name to all generations. ¹³You will arise and have compassion on Zion; For it is time to be gracious to her, For the appointed time has come. ¹⁴ Surely Your servants find pleasure in her stones And feel pity for her dust. ¹⁵ So the nations will fear the name of the LORD And all the kings of the earth Your glory. ¹⁶ For the LORD has built up Zion; He has appeared in His glory. ¹⁷He has regarded the prayer of the destitute And has not despised their prayer.

¹⁸This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD. ¹⁹ For He looked down from His holy height; From heaven the LORD gazed upon the earth, ²⁰ To hear the groaning of the prisoner, To set free those who were doomed to death, ²¹ That men may tell of the name of the LORD in Zion And His praise in Jerusalem, ²² When the peoples are gathered together, And the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

²³He has weakened my strength in the way; He has shortened my days. ²⁴I say, "O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days, Your years are throughout all generations. ²⁵ "Of old You founded the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. ²⁶ "Even they will perish, but You endure; And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. ²⁷ "But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end. ²⁸"The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You."

Psalm 103

Praise for the LORD'S Mercies.

Psalm of David.

¹Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. ² Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; ³Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; ⁴Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; ⁵ Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

⁶The LORD performs righteous deeds And judgments for all who are oppressed. ⁷He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel. ⁸The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. ⁹ He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. ¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. ¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. ¹² As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. ¹³ Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. ¹⁴ For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.

¹⁵As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. ¹⁶ When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer. ¹⁷ But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children, ¹⁸ To those who keep His covenant And remember His precepts to do them.

¹⁹The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all. ²⁰ Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! ²¹Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will. ²²Bless the LORD, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the LORD, O my soul!