PSALM 102 [†]  z Hear my prayer, O LORD;

let my cry  a come to you!

2  b Do not hide your face from me

in  c the day of my distress!

 d Incline your ear to me;

 e answer me speedily  f in the day when I call!

3[^][†] For my days  g pass away like smoke,

and my  h bones burn like a furnace.

4 My heart is  i struck down like grass and  j has withered;

I  k forget to eat my bread.

5 Because of my loud groaning

my  l bones cling to my flesh.

6[†] I am like  m a desert owl of the wilderness,

like an owl [1] of the waste places;

7 I  n lie awake;

I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.

8 All the day my enemies taunt me;

those who  o deride me  p use my name for a curse.

9 For I eat ashes like bread

and  q mingle tears with my drink,

10 because of your indignation and anger;

for you have  r taken me up and  s thrown me down.

11 My days are like  t an evening shadow;

I  j wither away like grass.

12[†] But you, O LORD, are  u enthroned forever;

you  v are remembered throughout all generations.

13 You will  w arise and have  x pity on Zion;

it is the time to favor her;

 y the appointed time has come.

14 For your servants hold her  z stones dear

and have pity on her dust.

15[^][†] Nations will  a fear the name of the LORD,

and all  b the kings of the earth will fear your glory.

16[^] For the LORD  c builds up Zion;

he  d appears in his glory;

17 he  e regards the prayer of the destitute

and does not despise their prayer.

18[†] Let this be  f recorded for  g a generation to come,

so that  h a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:

19 that he  i looked down from his holy height;

from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,

20 to hear  j the groans of the prisoners,

to set free  k those who were doomed to die,

21 that they may  l declare in Zion the name of the LORD,

and in Jerusalem his praise,

22 when  m peoples gather together,

and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.

23[†] He has broken my strength in midcourse;

he  n has shortened my days.

24 “O my God,”  o I say, “take me not away

in the midst of my days—

 p you whose years endure

throughout all generations!”

25[†]  q Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,

and  r the heavens are the work of your hands.

26[^]  s They will perish, but  t you will remain;

they will all wear out like a garment.

You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,

27 but  u you are the same, and your years have no end.

28[†]  v The children of your servants  w shall dwell secure;

 x their offspring shall be established before you.

Of David.