Psalm 102

Bible Passage:  Psalm 102

For my days are consumed like smoke,
And my bones are burned like a hearth.
My heart is stricken and withered like grass,
So that I forget to eat my bread.
Because of the sound of my groaning,
My bones cling to my skin.
I am like a pelican of the wilderness;
I am like an owl of the desert.
I lie awake,
And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.

– Psalm 102: 3-7

A very morbid set of verses, isn’t it?

This was how the psalmist was describing his situation, that he was in severe affliction, going through much physical suffering and loneliness. Even later in verses 8 and 9, he further describes his dire circumstances.

It probably makes you wonder: What on earth happened to this guy?

Days Like Smoke…

Because of Your indignation and Your wrath;
For You have lifted me up and cast me away…

– Psalm 102: 10

But the wicked shall perish;
And the enemies of the Lord,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away

– Psalm 37: 20

From the two verses above, one could infer that this guy had probably done something wrong that would have incurred the wrath of God, and thus is suffering from it (the word “smoke” is also used in Psalm 102, verse 3). In my opinion, he might even be feeling very far away from God.

In verse 4, he said that his heart was stricken, and this caused him to not eat. It was because of some emotional or even spiritual distress that affected his physical health, causing him to have lack of food and sleep. Verses 6 and 7 emphasised his state of great loneliness. Just imagine being a little sparrow all alone on a housetop…

Because of what he had done before (as we’re inferring here), he began to feel being very distant from the Lord, and this had caused him great distress and depression. Can you imagine being very far away from God? It is most definitely a terrible feeling.

Indeed, we have to very careful that we keep ourselves away from sin, so that we won’t have to suffer like this guy did…

The Lord’s Eternal Love

Contrary to the gloomy beginning of this passage, the main title given in my Bible is called “The Lord’s Eternal Love”. And I think this was what the psalmist very strongly believed and had faith in.

To hear the groaning of the prisoner,
To loose those appointed to death…

– Psalm 102: 20

The psalmist was crying out to the Lord, calling for Him. He knew that he had done something wrong, and here, he was most likely repenting for his sins, and also giving glory and praises to the Lord for His grace and mercy. He believed that God could hear him, even see him. And ultimately, He will deliver His people from the hands of the enemy.

The psalmist knew that the Lord’s love is an eternal love. Although he might have done something wrong, he was sincerely repenting from his sins, because he believed in the love of God.

We should remember this too. Because of His love, He came to earth in the form of flesh to die for us so that we can rise with Him. Because of His love, our sins are continually washed away by His blood that He shed for us. But of course, we must make the effort to repent and turn back to Him.

The Lord’s love is one that is never changing, because He Himself is eternal and everlasting. We may change in any and every way. But God will never change…

But You are the same,
And Your prayers will have no end.
The children of Your servants will continue,
And their descendants will be established before You…

– Psalm 102: 27-28

Let us continue to have steadfast faith in the Lord, to remember His eternal love for us and the grace that He had given to us…