Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 102:17

"He hath regarded the prayer of the destitute, And hath not despised their prayer." — Psalms 102:17 (ASV)

He will regard the prayer—literally, “He looks upon,” or “he ‘turns himself’ to their prayer.” He no longer seems to turn away from them and disregard them. He shows by building up Zion in this way that he does regard prayer; that he hears the supplications of his people.

There is no higher proof that prayer is heard than that which is often furnished in a revival of pure religion. All such revivals, like that on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1 and following), are usually preceded, as that was (Acts 1:13–14), by special prayer. In those revivals, there are often most manifest and clear answers to prayer for the conversion of individuals; to prayer for a blessing on a preached gospel; to prayer for particular relatives and friends.

Of the destitute—literally, “of the poor.” The word—ערער ‛ ar‛âr—occurs only here and in Jeremiah 17:6, where it is rendered “heath:” He shall be like the ‘heath’ in the desert. The word, according to its etymology, means “naked;” then, poor, stripped of everything, impoverished, wholly destitute.

This word would thus be eminently applicable to the poor exiles in Babylon. It is equally applicable to sinners pleading with God, and to the people of God themselves, who are destitute of everything like self-righteousness, feeling that they have nothing in themselves, but are wholly dependent on the mercy of God .

And not despise their prayer—Not treat it with contempt; not pass it by unheard. This is stated as one of the reasons why the nations would be struck with awe—that God, the infinite God, would hear the prayers of those who were so poor, so powerless, so friendless. There is, in fact, nothing more suited to excite wonder than that God does hear the prayer of poor, lost, sinful man.