Introduction:
Some think that David penned this psalm at the time of Absalom’s rebellion; others that Daniel, Nehemiah, or some other prophet, penned it for the use of the church, when it was in captivity in Babylon because it seems to speak of the ruin of Zion and of a time set for the rebuilding of it, which Daniel understood by books, Dan. 9:2. Or perhaps the psalmist was himself in great affliction, which he complains of in the beginning of the psalm, but (as in Ps. 77 and elsewhere) he comforts himself under it with the consideration of God’s eternity, and the church’s prosperity and perpetuity, how much soever it was now distressed and threatened. But it is clear, from the application of v. 25, 26, to Christ (Heb. 1:10-12), that the psalm has reference to the days of the Messiah, and speaks either of his affliction or of the afflictions of his church for his sake. In the psalm we have,
I. A sorrowful complaint which the psalmist makes, either for himself or in the name of the church, of great afflictions, which were very pressing (v. 1-11).
II. Seasonable comfort fetched in against these grievances,
In singing this psalm, if we have not occasion to make the same complaints, yet we may take occasion to sympathize with those that have, and then the comfortable part of this psalm will be the more comfortable to us in the singing of it.
A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. (Matthew Henry)
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This is a patriot’s lament over his country’s distress. He arrays himself in the griefs of his nation as in a garment of sackcloth and casts her dust and ashes upon his head as the ensigns and causes of his sorrow. He has his own private woes and personal enemies, he is moreover sore afflicted in body by sickness, but the miseries of his people cause him a far more bitter anguish, and this he pours out in an earnest, pathetic lamentation. Not, however, without hope does the patriot mourn; he has faith in God, and looks for the resurrection of the nation through the omnipotent favor of the Lord; this causes him to walk among the ruins of Jerusalem, and to say with hopeful spirit, “No, Zion, thou shalt never perish. Thy sun is not set forever; brighter days are in store for thee.” It is in vain to enquire into the precise point of Israel’s history which thus stirred a patriot’s soul, for many a time was the land oppressed, and at any of her sad seasons this song and prayer would have been a most natural and appropriate utterance. (Spurgeon)
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The title of this psalm is A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the LORD. This afflicted one borrowed his tone and some of his phrasing from Job, who is the Old Testament’s greatest example of affliction. Many phrases also match others in the psalms. n traditional Christian liturgy, this has been regarded as one of the seven penitential psalms (along with Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 130, and 143). (Guzik)
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This psalm purports, in the title, to be a “Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.” It is a prayer, made up of earnest supplications, as of one who was in great affliction, whether he refers to his own individual sorrows, or whether he speaks as one of the people. The word “afflicted,” means here a suffering one; one who is in trouble. The word is in the singular number and is one which is often applied to a person who is in trouble – whatever may be the nature of that trouble. The word rendered “overwhelmed” means properly to cover as with a garment; to clothe; and then, to be covered with darkness, affliction, grief, Psalms 61:2. This is the meaning here. It denotes a state where the soul was enshrouded in gloom and sorrow. The word rendered “complaint,” means properly meditation; then, moaning; then, the expression of sorrow. It does not necessarily mean, as the word does with us, “finding fault,” or expressing dissatisfaction, but it rather denotes that deep sorrow which finds utterance in low and plaintive sounds; not in boisterous and loud outcry, but in subdued notes – in sounds uttered not because one wishes to complain, but because the sorrow is such that it will find vent. Compare 1 Samuel 1:16; 1 Kings 18:27; Job 7:13; Job 9:27; Job 10:1; Job 21:4; Psalms 55:2; Psalms 64:1 (Hebrew).
On what occasion, or by whom, this psalm was composed, it is not possible now to ascertain. Hengstenberg and Prof. Alexander suppose that it was by David. It seems more probable, however, from Psalms 102:13-21, that it was in the time of the captivity, and was in view of the troubles of that long and weary exile, and that the psalmist speaks not of individual and personal troubles, but speaks as one of the people – as one in exile with others who had been long held in captivity, and who sighed for deliverance, and for a restoration to their native land. In the midst of these troubles, which are so tenderly described in the first eleven verses, he saw encouraging evidences that the Lord was about to manifest his mercy, and to restore the people to their native land; and he pleads most earnestly with God, on the ground that he was faithful and unchanging, that he would thus interpose and accomplish the earnest desire of his afflicted people. (Barnes)
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A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord; Whether this psalm was written by David, under a prophetic spirit, concerning future times; or whether by one of the Babylonish captivity, as Daniel, Nehemiah, Ezra, or any other; either just at the close of it, or upon their return from it; since it is said that “the set time to favor Zion was come,” is not certain: however, since Zion was a type of the Gospel church, it may be very well applied to Gospel times; and the rather, since some passages in it are cited by the apostle in Hebrews 1:10 as to be understood of Christ: see Psalm 102:25. The Syriac version calls it, “a prophecy concerning the new people, namely, the Gentiles in the faith:”
It is entitled, “a prayer of the afflicted,” or “poor” {e}; which Austin understood of Christ, who became poor for our sakes, and was afflicted of God and men. Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Kimchi, interpret it of the Jews suffering affliction in the Babylonish captivity; the former observes, that it was the opinion of some of their interpreters that this prayer was composed by some wise and understanding man that fell into the hand of his enemies. It may very well be applied to any afflicted person; all the people of God are more or less a poor and afflicted people; outwardly afflicted in body, in estate, and in their good name and character; inwardly with the corruptions of their own hearts, the temptations of Satan, and divine desertions; when it is a very proper time for prayer, James 5:13, and it is their privilege that they have a God of grace and mercy to pray unto, a throne of grace to come to at all times, a spirit of grace and supplication to assist them, and Christ their Advocate and High Priest, to present their petitions for them: (Gill)
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The Hebrew, and nearly all the Versions, give the following title to this Psalm: A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and pours out his sighing before the Lord. There seems to be little doubt that this is the prayer of the captives in Babylon, when, towards the end of the captivity, they were almost worn out with oppression, cruelty, and distress. The Psalm has been attributed to Daniel, to Jeremiah, to Nehemiah, or to some of the other prophets who flourished during the time of the captivity. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews has applied the twenty-fifth, twenty sixth, and twenty-seventh verses to our Lord, and the perpetuity of his kingdom. (Clarke)
The Lord’s Eternal Love
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord.
102
Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And let my cry come to You.
2
Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble;
Incline Your ear to me;
In the day that I call, answer me speedily.
3
For my days are consumed like smoke,
And my bones are burned like a hearth.
4
My heart is stricken and withered like grass,
So that I forget to eat my bread.
5
Because of the sound of my groaning
My bones cling to my skin.
6
I am like a pelican of the wilderness;
I am like an owl of the desert.
7
I lie awake,
And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.
8
My enemies reproach me all day long;
Those who deride me swear an oath against me.
9
For I have eaten ashes like bread,
And mingled my drink with weeping,
10
Because of Your indignation and Your wrath;
For You have lifted me up and cast me away.
11
My days are like a shadow that lengthens,
And I wither away like grass.
12
But You, O Lord, shall endure forever,
And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.
13
You will arise and have mercy on Zion;
For the time to favor her,
Yes, the set time, has come.
14
For Your servants take pleasure in her stones,
And show favor to her dust.
15
So the nations shall fear the name of the Lord,
And all the kings of the earth Your glory.
16
For the Lord shall build up Zion;
He shall appear in His glory.
17
He shall regard the prayer of the destitute,
And shall not despise their prayer.
18
This will be written for the generation to come,
That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.
19
For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary;
From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,
20
To hear the groaning of the prisoner,
To release those appointed to death,
21
To declare the name of the Lord in Zion,
And His praise in Jerusalem,
22
When the peoples 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,
Do not take me away in the midst of my days;
Your years are throughout all generations.
25
Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
26
They will perish, but You will endure;
Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;
Like a cloak You will change them,
And they will be changed.
27
But You are the same,
And Your years will have no end.
28
The children of Your servants will continue,
And their descendants will be established before You.”
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“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV
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