The big picture
Psalms 102 opens in verse 1 with “Hear my prayer, O LORD , and let my cry come unto thee.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.”, and closes in verse 28 with “The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, days, earth, prayer, Zion. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 28Psalms 102:1-7
1–7: Hear my prayer, O LORD , and let my cry come unto thee.
Psalms 102:1–7 opens with “Hear my prayer, O LORD , and let my cry come unto thee.” and reaches “I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by bones, answer, bread.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Hear my prayer, O LORD , and let my cry come unto thee.” Naming Hear keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Hide 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…” Naming Hide keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Psalms 102:1-7
King James Version1Hear my prayer, O LORD , and let my cry come unto thee.
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.
3For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
4My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
5By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
6I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
7I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
Psalms 102:8-14
8–14: Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me…
Psalms 102:8–14 opens with “Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.” and reaches “For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by favour, time, arise.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.” Naming Mine keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Psalms 102:8-14
King James Version8Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.
9For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
10Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
11My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.
12But thou, O LORD , shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
13Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
14For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.
Psalms 102:15-21
15–21: So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD , and all the kings of…
Psalms 102:15–21 opens with “So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD , and all the kings of the earth thy glory.” and reaches “To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by LORD, earth, glory.
Context that brings the passage to life
“So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD , and all the kings of the earth thy glory.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Psalms 102:15-21
King James Version15So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD , and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
16When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
17He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
18This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD .
19For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
20To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
21To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
Psalms 102:22-28
22–28: When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the…
Psalms 102:22–28 opens with “When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD .” and reaches “The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by days, years, change.
Context that brings the passage to life
“When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD .” The line’s distinctive content terms include gathered, kingdoms, LORD. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.
“He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.” The line’s distinctive content terms include days, shortened, strength. Its relationship to verses 22 and 24 shows what work it does in this passage.
Psalms 102:22-28
King James Version22When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD .
23He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
24I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
25Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
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:
27But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
28The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 102:1 begins with “Hear my prayer, O LORD , and let my cry come unto thee.”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 102:12 forms a natural hinge: “But thou, O LORD , shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.”
The final note
Psalms 102:28 leaves the reader with “The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, days, earth, prayer, Zion, bones help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.