Reflecting on Psalm 102
While I often go to Psalm 103, this week I was reflecting on Psalm 102, which the psalmist headed: "A Prayer of the Afflicted when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the LORD."
This is the summary preceding the actual verses of the Psalm. The author calls out to the LORD in ways many of us can identify with.
"Hear my prayer, O LORD! And let my cry for help come to You. Do 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. For my days have been consumed in smoke, and my bones have been scorched like a hearth. My heart has been smitten like grass and has withered away, indeed, I forget to eat my bread. Because of the loudness of my groaning my bones cling to my flesh. I resemble a pelican of the wilderness; I have become like an owl of the waste places. I lie awake, I have become like a lonely bird on a housetop" (verses 1-7).
As if that were not enough, the psalmist also states:
"Because of Your indignation and Your wrath, for You have lifted me up and cast me away. My days are like a lengthened shadow, and I wither away like grass" (verses 10-11).
"He has weakened my strength in the way; He has shortened my days" (verse 23).
How grim and graphic are these descriptions! Yet they are not the sum and substance of the psalmist's experiences, nor do they have to be ours. We can also rejoice in these eternal truths:
"But You, O LORD, abide forever, and Your name to all generations" (verse 12).
"He has regarded the prayer of the destitute and has not despised their prayer" (verse 17).
"Of old You founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. 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. But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end" (verses 25-27).
This is the summary preceding the actual verses of the Psalm. The author calls out to the LORD in ways many of us can identify with.
"Hear my prayer, O LORD! And let my cry for help come to You. Do 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. For my days have been consumed in smoke, and my bones have been scorched like a hearth. My heart has been smitten like grass and has withered away, indeed, I forget to eat my bread. Because of the loudness of my groaning my bones cling to my flesh. I resemble a pelican of the wilderness; I have become like an owl of the waste places. I lie awake, I have become like a lonely bird on a housetop" (verses 1-7).
As if that were not enough, the psalmist also states:
"Because of Your indignation and Your wrath, for You have lifted me up and cast me away. My days are like a lengthened shadow, and I wither away like grass" (verses 10-11).
"He has weakened my strength in the way; He has shortened my days" (verse 23).
How grim and graphic are these descriptions! Yet they are not the sum and substance of the psalmist's experiences, nor do they have to be ours. We can also rejoice in these eternal truths:
"But You, O LORD, abide forever, and Your name to all generations" (verse 12).
"He has regarded the prayer of the destitute and has not despised their prayer" (verse 17).
"Of old You founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. 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. But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end" (verses 25-27).
posted by Ebeth | 7:50 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home