Introduction: A good percentage of Psalms say at the top who the author was, but not this one! At the top is written ‘A prayer of one afflicted!’ In these 11 verses of a 28 verse Psalm the writer gives us two main causes for his crying out to God for action on his behalf. Verses 4-7 sound as if the author is just growing old as those who are privileged to live long enough do, and the body wears out! Verses 8-11 are a cry about a much more distressing problem. The words taunt, deride, curse are heart-wrenching charges! Not only does the Psalmist blame his neighbours but he lays the accusation at God’s feet! ‘because of your indignation and anger; for you have taken me up and thrown me down.’ This Psalm 102 is addressed to God and in this verse (10) he uses the pronoun ‘your’!
As a child I remember my mother when/if we boys came to her complaining of insults she used to say, ‘Sticks and stones may break your bones but names will never hurt you!’ She was wrong! My version of that saying is, ‘Sticks and stones can only break your bones, but names will really hurt you!’
1 Hear my prayer, O LORD;
let my cry come to you!
2 Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call! – Please don’t play hide and seek with me. I’m desperate, O my God!
3 For my days pass away like smoke, – I’m old and life is disappearing fast!
and my bones burn like a furnace. – my back, my knees, my shoulders, my neck all ache!
4 My heart is struck down like grass and has withered; – I can’t do what I used to do!
I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of my loud groaning
my bones cling to my flesh. – I drink gaviscon by the bottle, and I’m wasting away!
6 I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,
like an owl of the waste places;
7 I lie awake;
I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop. – I’m lonely, I can’t sleep!
8 All the day my enemies taunt me;
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
9 For I eat ashes like bread
and mingle tears with my drink,
10 because of your indignation and anger;
for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
11 My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.
Finally: I repeat what I said before ‘Verses 8-11 are a cry about a much more distressing problem. The words taunt, deride, curse are heart-wrenching charges! Not only does the Psalmist blame his neighbours but he lays the accusation at God’s feet!’ I hope desperately that God answers this pitiful cry. I sure hope that He does!
PS I read ahead and He does!
Exodus 2: 23,24a – During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning.
Prayer: I am tired, and old. I feel that ‘my smoke’ has almost died away. Please don’t desert me in my old age.