Mazmur 102:11-16

102:11 My days are coming to an end, ¹ 

and I am withered like grass.

102:12 But you, O Lord, rule forever, ² 

and your reputation endures. ³ 

102:13 You will rise up and have compassion on Zion. ⁴ 

For it is time to have mercy on her,

for the appointed time has come.

102:14 Indeed, ⁵  your servants take delight in her stones,

and feel compassion for ⁶  the dust of her ruins. ⁷ 

102:15 The nations will respect the reputation of the Lord, ⁸ 

and all the kings of the earth will respect ⁹  his splendor,

102:16 when the Lord rebuilds Zion,

and reveals his splendor,

[102:11]  ¹ tn Heb “my days [are] like an extended [or “lengthening”] shadow,” that is, like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness.

[102:12]  ² tn Heb “sit” (i.e., sit enthroned, see Ps 9:7). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.

[102:12]  ³ tn Heb “and your remembrance [is] for a generation and a generation.”

[102:13]  ⁴ tn The imperfect verbal forms are understood as expressing the psalmist’s confidence in God’s intervention. Another option is to take them as expressing the psalmist’s request or wish, “You, rise up and have compassion!”

[102:14]  ⁵ tn Or “for.”

[102:14]  ⁶ tn The Poel of חָנַן (khanan) occurs only here and in Prov 14:21, where it refers to having compassion on the poor.

[102:14]  ⁷ tn Heb “her dust,” probably referring to the dust of the city’s rubble.

[102:15]  ⁸ tn Heb “will fear the name of the Lord.” To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for his revealed reputation which in turn motivates one to obey God’s commands (see Ps 86:11).

[102:15]  ⁹ tn The verb “will fear” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the preceding line).