Christian prayer
Psalm 102
Psalm 102 in its original text and with its meaning, a biblical prayer of distress and hope in God.
- 28 verses
- About 1 minute to recite
- From the Bible
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Hebrew original
1 תְּ֭פִלָּה לְעָנִ֣י כִֽי־יַעֲטֹ֑ף וְלִפְנֵ֥י יְ֝הוָ֗ה יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ שִׂיחֽוֹ׃
2 יְ֭הוָה שִׁמְעָ֣ה תְפִלָּתִ֑י וְ֝שַׁוְעָתִ֗י אֵלֶ֥יךָ תָבֽוֹא׃
3 אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮ בְּי֪וֹם צַ֫ר לִ֥י הַטֵּֽה־אֵלַ֥י אָזְנֶ֑ךָ בְּי֥וֹם אֶ֝קְרָ֗א מַהֵ֥ר עֲנֵֽנִי׃
4 כִּֽי־כָל֣וּ בְעָשָׁ֣ן יָמָ֑י וְ֝עַצְמוֹתַ֗י כְּמוֹ־קֵ֥ד נִחָֽרוּ׃
5 הוּכָּֽה־כָ֭עֵשֶׂב וַיִּבַ֣שׁ לִבִּ֑י כִּֽי־שָׁ֝כַ֗חְתִּי מֵאֲכֹ֥ל לַחְמִֽי׃
6 מִקּ֥וֹל אַנְחָתִ֑י דָּבְקָ֥ה עַ֝צְמִ֗י לִבְשָׂרִֽי׃
7 דָּ֭מִיתִי לִקְאַ֣ת מִדְבָּ֑ר הָ֝יִ֗יתִי כְּכ֣וֹס חֳרָבֽוֹת׃
8 שָׁקַ֥דְתִּי וָאֶֽהְיֶ֑ה כְּ֝צִפּ֗וֹר בּוֹדֵ֥ד עַל־גָּֽג׃
9 כָּל־הַ֭יּוֹם חֵרְפ֣וּנִי אוֹיְבָ֑י מְ֝הוֹלָלַ֗י בִּ֣י נִשְׁבָּֽעוּ׃
10 כִּי־אֵ֭פֶר כַּלֶּ֣חֶם אָכָ֑לְתִּי וְ֝שִׁקֻּוַ֗י בִּבְכִ֥י מָסָֽכְתִּי׃
11 מִפְּנֵֽי־זַֽעַמְךָ֥ וְקִצְפֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י נְ֝שָׂאתַ֗נִי וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵֽנִי׃
12 יָ֭מַי כְּצֵ֣ל נָט֑וּי וַ֝אֲנִ֗י כָּעֵ֥שֶׂב אִיבָֽשׁ׃
13 וְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם תֵּשֵׁ֑ב וְ֝זִכְרְךָ֗ לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹֽר׃
14 אַתָּ֣ה תָ֭קוּם תְּרַחֵ֣ם צִיּ֑וֹן כִּי־עֵ֥ת לְ֝חֶֽנְנָ֗הּ כִּי־בָ֥א מוֹעֵֽד׃
15 כִּֽי־רָצ֣וּ עֲ֭בָדֶיךָ אֶת־אֲבָנֶ֑יהָ וְֽאֶת־עֲפָרָ֥הּ יְחֹנֵֽנוּ׃
16 וְיִֽירְא֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה וְֽכָל־מַלְכֵ֥י הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ אֶת־כְּבוֹדֶֽךָ׃
17 כִּֽי־בָנָ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה צִיּ֑וֹן נִ֝רְאָ֗ה בִּכְבוֹדֽוֹ׃
18 פָּ֭נָה אֶל־תְּפִלַּ֣ת הָעַרְעָ֑ר וְלֹֽא־בָ֝זָ֗ה אֶת־תְּפִלָּתָֽם׃
19 תִּכָּ֣תֶב זֹ֭את לְד֣וֹר אַחֲר֑וֹן וְעַ֥ם נִ֝בְרָ֗א יְהַלֶּל־יָֽהּ׃
20 כִּֽי־הִ֭שְׁקִיף מִמְּר֣וֹם קָדְשׁ֑וֹ יְ֝הוָ֗ה מִשָּׁמַ֤יִם ׀ אֶל־אֶ֬רֶץ הִבִּֽיט׃
21 לִ֭שְׁמֹעַ אֶנְקַ֣ת אָסִ֑יר לְ֝פַתֵּ֗חַ בְּנֵ֣י תְמוּתָֽה׃
22 לְסַפֵּ֣ר בְּ֭צִיּוֹן שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה וּ֝תְהִלָּת֗וֹ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
23 בְּהִקָּבֵ֣ץ עַמִּ֣ים יַחְדָּ֑ו וּ֝מַמְלָכ֗וֹת לַעֲבֹ֥ד אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
24 עִנָּ֖ה בַדֶּ֥רֶךְ כחו קִצַּ֥ר יָמָֽי׃
25 אֹמַ֗ר אֵלִ֗י אַֽל־תַּ֭עֲלֵנִי בַּחֲצִ֣י יָמָ֑י בְּד֖וֹר דּוֹרִ֣ים שְׁנוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
26 לְ֭פָנִים הָאָ֣רֶץ יָסַ֑דְתָּ וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדֶ֣יךָ שָׁמָֽיִם׃
27 הֵ֤מָּה ׀ יֹאבֵדוּ֮ וְאַתָּ֪ה תַ֫עֲמֹ֥ד וְ֭כֻלָּם כַּבֶּ֣גֶד יִבְל֑וּ כַּלְּב֖וּשׁ תַּחֲלִיפֵ֣ם וְֽיַחֲלֹֽפוּ׃
28 וְאַתָּה־ה֑וּא וּ֝שְׁנוֹתֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִתָּֽמּוּ׃
29 בְּנֵֽי־עֲבָדֶ֥יךָ יִשְׁכּ֑וֹנוּ וְ֝זַרְעָ֗ם לְפָנֶ֥יךָ יִכּֽוֹן׃
Wording: The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1611 (standard text of 1769). Copied word for word from the edition named here
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When it is prayed
Many Christians pray Psalm 102 in times of illness, grief, loneliness or deep weariness, using its words to express what is difficult to say. In the Christian tradition, it is also used in penitential prayer, including during Lent. Its movement from personal distress to trust in God makes it suitable for praying for a troubled community as well.
Where it comes from
Psalm 102 comes from the Book of Psalms in the Bible, inherited by Christianity from the scriptures of ancient Israel. Its heading describes the prayer of an afflicted person pouring out a complaint before the Lord; it does not name an author. The psalm joins personal lament with hope for the restoration of Zion and confidence in God's enduring nature.

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Related prayers and texts
- ChristianPsalm 91A biblical psalm of trust in God’s shelter and protection amid danger.
- ChristianPsalm 23A biblical psalm of trust in God, pictured as a caring shepherd and generous host.
- ChristianPsalm 121A biblical psalm of trust in God as the keeper of those who look to him for help.
- ChristianPsalm 35A biblical psalm asking God for protection, justice and deliverance from enemies.
Questions about Psalm 102
How many verses are in Psalm 102?
Psalm 102 has 28 verses.
What is Psalm 102 about?
It gives voice to someone overwhelmed by suffering, isolation and the brevity of life. Alongside this lament, it expresses trust that God endures and will care for future generations.
Who wrote Psalm 102?
Its author is not known. The heading identifies the speaker as an afflicted person rather than naming a particular writer.
Can Psalm 102 be prayed for someone who is ill?
Many Christians use it to pray for themselves or others during illness and distress. Its words offer a way to bring suffering honestly before God, without requiring the person praying to hide sorrow or fear.


















