Psalm 102:1 ¶ «A Prayer of
the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the
LORD.» Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. 2 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 speedily. 3 For my days are
consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. 4 My heart is smitten, and withered like grass;
so that I forget to eat my bread. 5 By
reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin. 6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am
like an owl of the desert. 7 I watch,
and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top. 8
Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad
against me are sworn against me. 9 For I
have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping, 10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath:
for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down. 11 My days are like a shadow that
declineth; and I am withered like grass.
John Gill reported that there was conflicting views as to when
this Psalm was penned and who penned it. There are similarities to Job’s
lamentation here but the following verses in this Psalm lend it well to a
prophecy also of the end times, particularly Christ’s millennial reign after
the sore Tribulation of the Time of Jacob’s Troubles.
21 To declare the name of
the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; 22 When the people are gathered together, and
the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
In verses 1 to 11 the Psalm is set up as we voice our sorrow, our
grief, and sense of loss. Many of us have prayed a prayer like this at times in
our lives, although probably not so eloquently. We plead for God to hear us in
our misery.
We plead to God to hear us. Our days are like smoke that drifts
away and we are destitute, without strength or power over our own lives. We
have enemies, perhaps physical, but always spiritual and unseen enemies. We
feel that God has lifted us up and thrown us down because He is angry with us.
There seems to be no hope and there is none without God’s mercy.
Psalm 102:12 ¶ But thou, O
LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. 13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon
Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. 14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones,
and favour the dust thereof. 15 So the
heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy
glory. 16 When the LORD shall build up
Zion, he shall appear in his glory. 17
He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their
prayer. 18 This shall be written for the
generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the
LORD. 19 For he hath looked down from
the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; 20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to
loose those that are appointed to death; 21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and
his praise in Jerusalem; 22 When the
people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
God is
for ever and ever and will not be forgotten. The Psalmist is confident God will
have mercy upon Israel as we are confident that He will have mercy on us, at
the very least when we face Him in eternity.
In
considering the spiritual application to Christianity and the church we can be
likened to stones,
1Peter
2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built
up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
The
dust can be likened to the multitudes who will come to Christ. See how dust is
likened to multitudes.
Numbers
23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob,
and the number of the fourth part of Israel?
In
Revelation it shows that the heathen will fear the Lord God and for good reason.
Revelation
11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and
there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are
become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever
and ever.
Revelation
15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the
servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy
works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify
thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before
thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
God
shall appear in His glory.
Isaiah
60:1 ¶ Arise, shine; for thy light is
come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the
earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and
his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And
the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy
rising.
God
will consider the prayer of those who have nothing, either physically, or those
who recognize they are morally bankrupt and helpless without His regard. See
this verse in the “Sermon on the Mount” in regard to recognizing you are
completely morally bankrupt without Christ and if you realize that you will
come to the throne of grace.
Matthew
5:3 ¶ Blessed are the poor in spirit:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Think
about verse 18 as regarding those who are born again of Christ.
Psalm
22:30 A seed shall serve him; it shall
be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
Pay
attention to the prophecy of Christ and Christ’s acknowledging its fulfillment
in Isaiah 61 and Luke 4.
Isaiah
61:1 ¶ The Spirit of the Lord GOD is
upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the
meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Luke
4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me
to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
It
appears that verse 22 could be a reference not only to a hoped for time in
ancient Israel but for the Millennial Reign of Christ to come.
Psalm 102:23 ¶ He weakened
my strength in the way; he shortened my days. 24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the
midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. 25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the
earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. 26 They 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: 27 But
thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. 28 The children of thy servants shall continue,
and their seed shall be established before thee.
The Psalmist returns to his afflictions. Read the book of Job as Job
laments how God appears to be attacking him like an enemy. All of that book is
relevant but Job, chapter 14, is stunning in its implications for us.
The Psalmist acknowledges God’s eternal being, God’s creation of
the physical universe, and the fact that the things God has made will perish
but God Himself shall endure forever.
Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I
create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor
come into mind.
Isaiah 66:22 For as the new
heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the
LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
2Peter 3:13 Nevertheless
we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein
dwelleth righteousness.
Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which
was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ
the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
The Psalmist pleads with God not to take him acknowledging who God
is and finally making a declaration that we can apply to the Christian family. See that great Psalm that Jesus quoted the
first verse of from the Cross.
Psalm 22:30 A seed shall
serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
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