Psalm 102:23-27

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 102:27

But thou art the same - הוא ואתה veattah Hu , but thou art He, that is, The Eternal; and, consequently, he who only has immortality. Thy years shall have no end - יתמו לא lo yittammu , "they shall not be completed." Every thing has its revolution - its conception, growth, perfection, decay, dissolution, and death, or corruption. It may be said that regeneration restores all these substances; and so it does in a measure, but not without deterioration. The breed of animals, as well... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 102:23

Verse 23 23.He hath afflicted my strength in the way Some improperly restrict this complaint to the time when the Jews were subjected to much annoyance after the liberty granted them to return to their own land. We are rather to understand the word journey or way in a metaphorical sense. As the manifestation of Christ was the goal of the race which God’s ancient people were running, they justly complain that they are afflicted and weakened in the midst of their course. (158) Thus they set... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 102:24

Verse 24 What then does the prophet mean when he prays, Let us not perish in the midst of our course? (160) The reason stated in the clause immediately following, Thy years are from generation to generation, seems to be quite inapplicable in the present case. Because God is everlasting, does it therefore follow that men will be everlasting too? But on Psalms 90:2, we have shown how we may with propriety bring forward his eternity, as a ground of confidence in reference to our salvation; for he... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 102:25

Verse 25 25Thou hast aforetime founded the earth Here the sacred writer amplifies what he had previously stated, declaring, that compared with God the whole world is a form which quickly vanishes away; and yet a little after he represents the Church as exempted from this the common lot of all sublunary things, because she has for her foundation the word of God, while her safety is secured by the same word. Two subjects are therefore here brought under our consideration. The first is, that since... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 102:1-28

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 assured hope and trust in a speedy deliverance (verses 12-22); and thirdly, a contrast between human weakness and God's strength and unchangeableness, resulting in a conviction that, whatever becomes of the writer, the seed of Israel will be preserved and established before God forever (verses 23-28). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 102:1-28

Light arising in darkness. The authorship and therefore the date of this psalm cannot be certainly fixed, or whether it be a national or an individual utterance; probably it is the latter. The alternations of thought and feeling are very noteworthy. We have— I. EARNEST PRAYER . ( Psalms 102:1 , Psalms 102:2 .) There is an ascending scale, reaching to a climax. 1 . That the Lord would hear. "Hear, O Lord." 2 . For close access. "Let my cry come unto thee." Do not... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 102:12-27

Changing self; changing world; unchanging God. A very favourite contrast with psalmists and poets. I. A CONTRAST BASED ON A FACT . The fact is that man's life is changeable and brief. This is true of a man's bodily life, intellectual life, and life of relations. It is impressed on a man in his times of sickness, especially when sickness comes breaking into and breaking up his plans, as in the case of king Hezekiah. Here the psalmist puts the fact into two figures—the passing... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 102:23

He weakened my strength in the way. The reading "my strength" ( כחי ) is greatly to be preferred to that of "his strength" ( כחו ), which cannot be made to yield a tolerable meaning. It is judiciously adopted by Professor Cheyne, who translates, "He has brought down my strength in the way," and explains "the way" as "the journey of life." So also Rosenmuller and Hengstenberg. He shortened my days; i.e. "made me grow old prematurely" (comp. Psalms 102:11 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 102:23-24

Prayer for renewal of imperilled life. All love life, and desire to have it prolonged. But the psalmist does not ask for its renewal on merely personal grounds. He pleads that he is so sure God's restoring mercies are just at hand; and, if he could see them realized, he could die in peace. Compare Simeon's song as he held the Babe-Saviour. Death coming when a man is in the very midst of life's work is the most trying of human experiences. We always feel intensely sorry for Moses, though he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 102:23-28

The third strophe begins with an acknowledgment of weakness—a sort of "renewed complaint" (Hengstenberg). But from this there is an ascent to a higher confidence than any displayed previously—a confidence that God, who is everlasting ( Psalms 102:24-27 ), will perpetually protect his people, and, whatever becomes of the existing generation, will establish their seed before him forever ( Psalms 102:28 ). read more

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