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The author of this Psalm is unknown. It is an individual lament of a righteous person going through trials because of the wicked with unexplained sufferings like Job. Many Bible students think it reveals the pain of one of the righteous remnant in exile during the Babylonian captivity. He does not ask to be personally delivered from the trail. He wants Yahweh to listen to the details of his difficult lot, for Him to keep His covenant promises to Israel, to not allow the suffer to die prematurely, and for the future presence of his descendants with God. Part of this Psalm is quoted in Heb 1:11 in the New Testament.
I. The petition to be heard by God (vs. 1–2)
A. Yahweh, hear my prayer is an opening to prayer often used (Ps 39:12, 54:2, 61:1, 64:1)
B. The parallel phrase, “Let my cry for help come to you” (Ps 69:17) is part of the address
C. Human idioms or metaphors are used to ask God to attentively listen to this prayer
1. The prayer is full of Scriptural phrases
2. It honestly lists the current situation without one selfish plea
3. It includes God’s prophetic promises that by faith the praying one claims for Israel “Faith mighty faith, the promise see’s and looks to God alone” “And Lord haste the day when faith shall be sight – the clouds be rolled back like a scroll
4. Faith is the certain substantive conviction that what God has promised in the Bible that we cannot yet see with our eyes is true and real
II. The lament of a lonely righteous person who is suffering (vs. 3–11)
A. Man’s life is temporary, all is temporary
B. The suffering one short life is like smoke that blows away, burning embers that die out summer grass that dies out, an evening shadow that is swallowed by the darkness
C. The anguish in is heart and body include heat stroke, being without shelter from the sun, intense pain, fever (his skeleton is burning like a furnace), sleeplessness, frailty, dehydrated and emaciated from the lack of food and fluid, depressed, appetite gone, isolated, in mourning and sadness, wailing loudly, just skin and bones left, lonely and alone like an owl, crying alone on the roof like a widowed sparrow
1. Many can relate to parts of this in the midst of sickness or grief
2. It has similarities to cancer treatments and Nazi concentration camps
3. An owl that has lost his mate will cry out on a roof top for several days
4. His time is short on the earth, it seems he has only days or hours to live
5. Sadness and solitude often go together, God has made us for community
6. The delights and joys of life are all hidden from his sight
D. A major human source of the suffering is this man’s enemies
1. They mock him continually, they use his name as a curse word
2. Where is your God now? You are abandoned by Him.
3. Ashes used in mourning are his food instead of the forgotten bread
4. There are more tears in his cup than grape juice
E. A major divine source is the anger and wrath of God against sin
1. God has lifted the suffer up, like an eagle with a lamb, and thrown him away
2. The remnant grieve and weep at the thought that they are not pleasing Yahweh
3. It grieves them to be part of a nation so wicked God must judge them
4. The shadows lengthen right before sunset; it looks as if his life is coming to an end
5. The grass that withers finally turns to dirt
F. Surprisingly, there is no personal request for relief
III. The covenantal promises for Israel claimed in faith (vs. 12–22)
A. The God of Israel, Yahweh is enthroned forever and over the captors
B. Yahweh’s name will continue to future Jewish generations
C. The time to restore Judah is coming by the power of God
D. Yahweh’s visitation, compassion, and grace are all promised
E. He will come with His angels and the destroyed city will be rebuilt
F. The Gentiles will fear and worship Yahweh because of His great work
G. Yahweh will allow Jerusalem to be rebuilt and will display His glory there (John 1:14)
H. The captive's prayer to return will be answered right on time
I. A future people not yet created (church and millennial Jews) will praise Yahweh
J. Oppression will be removed when Yahweh shows up to rule
K. Yahweh’s name will be praised by redeemed Jews and Gentiles in Israel during this time
IV. The final lament of one suffering (vs. 23–27)
A. The concern over the briefness of life on earth, days compared to generations
B. The request to die at the right time, not prematurely
C. Yahweh is the creator of the universe, which also is time bound and cursed
D. The earth and heavens will one day change, but God’s character remains the same
V. The final promise claimed in faith (vs. 28)
A. The Jewish descendants will continue and not be destroyed
B. The faith-line descendants of the remnant will continue and not be destroyed
C. All the redeemed children of Abraham will be in God’s presence forever
VI. The New Testament Insight into Psalm 102
A. This psalm has a topological prophecy that has more than one fulfillment
B. Heb 1:10–12, Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God is also a suffering one
C. Israel and individual men of faith during the captivity suffered
D. The Psalm touches on both the first and second coming of the Messiah
Lessons to live by:
• The Messiah as God the Son has always existed and will have no end. He came and suffered a lonely vicarious substitutionary penal death in our place.
• He is coming again to rule and reign on the earth from Jerusalem
• Yahweh created the universe through Jesus and redeemed His people through Him and will rule through Him on earth for one thousand years. King Jesus is on the throne in heaven right now until all enemies are put under His control and destroyed
• God keeps His covenant promises to all the real believers who love, trust, and obey Him
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