Psalms 102:12

My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. -In contrast to his own frailty, the Psalmist finds that consolation in God's abiding character which assures him that God will arise and have mercy on Zion, whose representative he is. Verse 11. MY DAYS ARE LIKE A SHADOW THAT DECLINETH - i:e., which is on the point of vanishing, as the shadows at evening (; .) Or else 'like a shadow inclined and lengthened out from the sun.' The decline of day is marked by the lengthening shadows (; , margin; ). (Muis and Gejer.) And I am with...

12._And thou, O Jehovah! shalt dwell for ever _When the prophet, for his own encouragement, sets before himself the eternity of God, it seems, at first sight, to be a far-fetched consolation; for what benefit will accrue to us from the fact that God sits immutable on his heavenly throne, when, at the same time, our frail and perishing condition does not permit us to continue unmoved for a single moment? And, what is more, this knowledge of the blessed repose enjoyed by God enables us the better to perceive that our life is a mere illusion. But the inspired writer, calling to remembrance the promises by which God had declared that he would make the Church the object of his special care, and particularly that remarkable article of the covenant, “I will dwell in the midst of you,” (Exodus 25:8) and, trusting to that sacred and indissoluble bond, has no hesitation in representing all the

12-22 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 thy children, that we may bless and praise thy name....

Verse Psalms 102:12. _BUT THOU, O LORD, SHALT ENDURE FOR EVER_] Our life is a shadow; we can scarcely be called _beings_ when compared with thee, for thou art _eternal_. Have mercy upon us, _creatures of a day_, and thy kindness shall be a _memorial_ in all our _generations_....

BUT THOU, O LORD, SHALT ENDURE FOR EVER - Though my condition has been changed, though I have been cast down from an exalted position, though kingdoms rise and fall, yet thou art unchanged. Thy purposes will abide. Thy promises will be fulfilled. Thy character is the same. As thou hast been the hearer of prayer in past times, so thou art now. As thou hast interposed in behalf of thy people in other ages, so thou wilt now. As thy people in affliction have been permitted to come to thee, so they may come to thee now. The psalmist here brings to his own mind, as an encouragement in trouble, as we may at all times, the fact that God is an unchanging God; that he always lives; that he is ever the same. We could have no ground of hope if God changed; if he formed purposes only to abandon them; if he made promises only to disregard them; if today he were a Being of mercy and goodness, and tomor...

EXPOSITION THE "title" of this psalm is altogether peculiar, being "a Prayer for the afflicted, when he faints, and pours out his complaint before Jehovah." This is clearly a general direction for the use of the psalm by afflicted persons, either universally, or, at any rate, when in circumstances resembling those of the writer. The writer appears to have belonged to the period of the Captivity, and probably to the later portion of it (Psalms 102:13). It has been conjectured that he is Daniel; but there are no sufficient grounds for assigning the composition to any special individual. It is the voice of a representative sufferer in Babylon, mourning over his own afflictions and those of his nation. The psalm consists of three main portions: first, a complaint, prefaced by an appeal to God for aid (verses 1-11); secondly, a confident expression of an

BUT THOU, O LORD, SHALT ENDURE FOR EVER,.... This address is made to Christ, as is clear from Psalms 102:25, compared with Hebrews 1:10, who is a divine Person, endures for ever, is from everlasting to everlasting, unchangeably the same in his love, power, wisdom, faithfulness, c. and though he died as man, he will die no more he is alive, and lives for evermore; and because he lives, his people shall live also; and he will come again to take them to himself: and, as Mediator, he is King for ever; always continues, as such, to rule over, protect, and defend his people; and is a Priest for ever, and ever lives to make intercession for them; and his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, have a constant virtue in them, to take away sin, and secure from it: the consideration of the perpetuity of Christ, in his

Kindly notice the title of this Psalm: «Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.» I call your attention to it in order to remind you what charges there are in the life of a believer. Here, in the 102 nd Psalm, the afflicted saint is pouring out his complaint; and then, in the 103 rd, the rejoicing believer is blessing the Lord in a jubilant song of grateful praise. Such are a true Christian's ups and downs, nights and days, and I can see how the 103 rd Psalm blossoms out of the 102 nd. When the afflicted believer can pour out his complaint before the Lord, it will not be long before he will be able to cry, «Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name.» If you carry your complaint in your own bosom, or tell it to some earthly friend, you will probably continue to have cause to complain; but if you pour ou...

Psalms 102 Christ the King in His Humiliation _ 1. In the place of humiliation and dependence (Psalms 102:1)_ 2. His enemies (Psalms 102:8) 3. The set time for Zion (Psalms 102:12) 4. The blessings which follow (Psalms 102:17) 5. The God-man in His work (Psalms 102:23) That this Psalm is a prophecy concerning the sufferings of Christ, His humiliation and death, and the gracious results which flow from

CII. The title, which is unique in the Psalter, describes the contents of Psalms 102:1 very well. So far the Ps. is the prayer of a man in extreme affliction. The same may be said of Psalms 102:23 and Psalms 102:24 a. But the theme which occupies the rest of the Ps. is quite different and indeed contrary. The poet turns to the eternal life of Yahweh. He has already built up Zion: His glory has appeared: not only the Jews but other peoples and kingdoms are to serve Yahweh. We may try to evade this difficulty by treating the perfect verbs as futures of prophetic certainty. Thus in Psalms 102:16 the translation would be Yahweh sh