August 23 – Psalms 102 and 103 from the Old Testament

Psalms 102 and 103 – Psalm 102

The prayer of an oppressed man, as he grows faint and pours out his lament before the Lord.

102:1 O Lord, hear my prayer!

Pay attention to my cry for help!

102:2 Do not ignore me in my time of trouble!

Listen to me!

When I call out to you, quickly answer me!

102:3 For my days go up in smoke,

and my bones are charred like a fireplace.

102:4 My heart is parched and withered like grass,

for I am unable to eat food.

102:5 Because of the anxiety that makes me groan,

my bones protrude from my skin.

102:6 I am like an owl in the wilderness;

I am like a screech owl among the ruins.

102:7 I stay awake;

I am like a solitary bird on a roof.

102:8 All day long my enemies taunt me;

those who mock me use my name in their curses.

102:9 For I eat ashes as if they were bread,

and mix my drink with my tears,

102:10 because of your anger and raging fury.

Indeed, you pick me up and throw me away.

102:11 My days are coming to an end,

and I am withered like grass.

102:12 But you, O Lord, rule forever,

and your reputation endures.

102:13 You will rise up and have compassion on Zion.

For it is time to have mercy on her,

for the appointed time has come.

102:14 Indeed, your servants take delight in her stones,

and feel compassion for the dust of her ruins.

102:15 The nations will respect the reputation of the Lord,

and all the kings of the earth will respect his splendor,

102:16 when the Lord rebuilds Zion,

and reveals his splendor,

102:17 when he responds to the prayer of the destitute,

and does not reject their request.

102:18 The account of his intervention will be recorded for future generations;

people yet to be born will praise the Lord.

102:19 For he will look down from his sanctuary above;

from heaven the Lord will look toward earth,

102:20 in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners,

and to set free those condemned to die,

102:21 so they may proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion,

and praise him in Jerusalem,

102:22 when the nations gather together,

and the kingdoms pay tribute to the Lord.

102:23 He has taken away my strength in the middle of life;

he has cut short my days.

102:24 I say, “O my God, please do not take me away in the middle of my life!

You endure through all generations.

102:25 In earlier times you established the earth;

the skies are your handiwork.

102:26 They will perish,

but you will endure.

They will wear out like a garment;

like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear.

102:27 But you remain;

your years do not come to an end.

102:28 The children of your servants will settle down here,

and their descendants will live securely in your presence.”

Psalm 103

By David.

103:1 Praise the Lord, O my soul!

With all that is within me, praise his holy name!

103:2 Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Do not forget all his kind deeds!

103:3 He is the one who forgives all your sins,

who heals all your diseases,

103:4 who delivers your life from the Pit,

who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion,

103:5 who satisfies your life with good things,

so your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.

103:6 The Lord does what is fair,

and executes justice for all the oppressed.

103:7 The Lord revealed his faithful acts to Moses,

his deeds to the Israelites.

103:8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful;

he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.

103:9 He does not always accuse,

and does not stay angry.

103:10 He does not deal with us as our sins deserve;

he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.

103:11 For as the skies are high above the earth,

so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers.

103:12 As far as the eastern horizon is from the west,

so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.

103:13 As a father has compassion on his children,

so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers.

103:14 For he knows what we are made of;

he realizes we are made of clay.

103:15 A person’s life is like grass.

Like a flower in the field it flourishes,

103:16 but when the hot wind blows by, it disappears,

and one can no longer even spot the place where it once grew.

103:17 But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers,

and is faithful to their descendants,

103:18 to those who keep his covenant,

who are careful to obey his commands.

103:19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven;

his kingdom extends over everything.

103:20 Praise the Lord, you angels of his,

you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees

and obey his orders!

103:21 Praise the Lord, all you warriors of his,

you servants of his who carry out his desires!

103:22 Praise the Lord, all that he has made,

in all the regions of his kingdom!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!