Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 102
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 102
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 102
"Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, And let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day of my distress: Incline thine ear unto me; In the day when I call answer me speedily. For my days consume away like smoke, And my bones are burned as a firebrand. My heart is smitten like grass, and withered; For I forget to eat my bread. By reason of the voice of my groaning My bones cleave to my flesh. I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am become as an owl of the waste places. I watch, and am become like a sparrow That is alone upon the house-top. Mine enemies reproach me all the day; They that are mad against me do curse by me. For I have eaten ashes like bread, And mingled my drink with weeping, Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: For thou hast taken me up, and cast me away. My days are like a shadow that declineth; And I am withered like grass." — Psalms 102:1-11 (ASV)
The whole word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but here, as often elsewhere, the Holy Spirit has put words into our mouths. Here is a prayer put into the hands of the afflicted; let them present it to God. Even good men may be almost overwhelmed with afflictions. It is our duty and interest to pray; and it is a comfort to an afflicted spirit to unburden itself by a humble representation of its griefs. We must say, Blessed be the name of the Lord, who both gives and takes away. The psalmist looked upon himself as a dying man: My days are like a shadow.
"But thou, O Jehovah, wilt abide for ever; And thy memorial [name] unto all generations. Thou wilt arise, and have mercy upon Zion; For it is time to have pity upon her, Yea, the set time is come. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, And have pity upon her dust. So the nations shall fear the name of Jehovah, And all the kings of the earth thy glory. For Jehovah hath built up Zion; He hath appeared in his glory. He hath regarded the prayer of the destitute, And hath not despised their prayer. This shall be written for the generation to come; And a people which shall be created shall praise Jehovah. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; From heaven did Jehovah behold the earth; To hear the sighing of the prisoner; To loose those that are appointed to death; That men may declare the name of Jehovah in Zion, And his praise in Jerusalem; When the peoples are gathered together, And the kingdoms, to serve Jehovah." — Psalms 102:12-22 (ASV)
We are dying creatures, but God is an everlasting God, the protector of his church; we may be confident that it will not be neglected.
When we consider our own vileness, our darkness and deadness, and the manifold defects in our prayers, we have cause to fear that they will not be received in heaven; but we are here assured of the contrary, for we have an Advocate with the Father, and are under grace, not under the law.
Redemption is the subject of praise in the Christian church; and that great work is described by the temporal deliverance and restoration of Israel.
Look down upon us, Lord Jesus, and bring us into the glorious liberty of Your children, that we may bless and praise Your name.
"He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days. I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: Thy years are throughout all generations. Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of thy hands. 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: But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end. The children of thy servants shall continue, And their seed shall be established before thee. " — Psalms 102:23-28 (ASV)
Bodily illnesses soon weaken our strength, then what can we expect but that our months should be cut short; and what should we do but prepare accordingly? We must acknowledge God's hand in it and must reconcile this to his love, for often those who have used their strength well have it weakened, and those who, we think, can hardly be spared, have their days shortened.
It is very comforting, regarding all the changes and dangers of the church, to remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And regarding the death of our bodies and the loss of friends, to remember that God is an everlasting God. Let us not overlook the assurance this psalm contains of a happy end to all the believer's trials.
Though all things are changing, dying, perishing, like a garment being folded up and hastening to decay, yet Jesus lives, and thus all is secure, for he has said, Because I live, ye shall live also.
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