1A prayer of one who is afflicted, when he grows faint and pours out his lament before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come before You. 2Do not hide Your face from me in my day of distress. Incline Your ear to me; answer me quickly when I call. 3For my days vanish like smoke, and my bones burn like glowing embers. 4My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass; I even forget to eat my bread. 5Through my loud groaning my flesh clings to my bones. 6I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. 7I lie awake; I am like a lone bird on a housetop. 8All day long my enemies taunt me; they ridicule me and curse me. 9For I have eaten ashes like bread and mixed my drink with tears 10because of Your indignation and wrath, for You have picked me up and cast me aside. 11My days are like lengthening shadows, and I wither away like grass. 12But You, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; Your renown endures to all generations. 13You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor— the appointed time has come. 14For Your servants delight in her stones and take pity on her dust. 15So the nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory. 16For the LORD will rebuild Zion; He has appeared in His glory. 17He will turn toward the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their prayer. 18Let this be written for the generation to come, so that a people not yet created may praise the LORD. 19For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary; the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth 20to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death, 21that they may proclaim the name of the LORD in Zion and praise Him in Jerusalem, 22when peoples and kingdoms assemble to serve the LORD. 23He has broken my strength on the way; He has cut short my days. 24I say: “O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days! Your years go on through all generations. 25In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. 26They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will be passed on. 27But You remain the same, and Your years will never end. 28The children of Your servants will dwell securely, and their descendants will be established before You.”
Matthew Henry's Commentary
A sorrowful complaint of great afflictions. (1-11) Encouragement by expecting the performances of God's promises to his church. (12-22) The unchangeableness of God. (23-28) 1-11 The whole word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but here, is often elsewhere, the Holy Ghost 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 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. 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. 23-28 Bodily distempers soon weaken our strength, then what can we expect but that our months should be cut off in the midst; and what should we do but provide accordingly? We must own God's hand in it; and must reconcile this to his love, for often those that have used their strength well, have it weakened; and those who, as we think, can very ill be spared, have their days shortened. It is very comfortable, in reference to all the changes and dangers of the church, to remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. And in reference to the death of our bodies, and the removal of friends, to remember that God is an everlasting God. Do not let us 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 vesture folding up and hastening to decay, yet Jesus lives, and thus all is secure, for he hath said, Because I live ye shall live also.