Psalm 102:17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 102:12-22

Many exceedingly great and precious comforts are here thought of, and mustered up, to balance the foregoing complaints; for unto the upright there arises light in the darkness, so that, though they are cast down, they are not in despair. It is bad with the psalmist himself, bad with the people of God; but he has many considerations to revive himself with. I. We are dying creatures, and our interests and comforts are dying, but God is an everliving everlasting God (Ps. 102:12): ?My days are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 102:17

He will regard the prayer of the destitute ,.... Of the destitute of human help and support, protection and defence; as the church in the wilderness; of the "poor", as the Syriac and Arabic versions, both in spirit and in purse; of the "humble", as the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin: the word F3 הערער "eorum, qui sunt veluti myricae", Pagninus, Vatablus, Cocceius. signifies a low shrub or plant; it is rendered, the heath in the wilderness, Jeremiah 17:6 and designs the saints in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 102:17

The prayer of the destitute - הערער haarar of him who is laid in utter ruin, who is entirely wasted. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 102:17

Verse 17 17He hath regarded the prayer of the solitary It is worthy of notice, that the deliverance of the chosen tribes is ascribed to the prayers of the faithful. God’s mercy was indeed the sole cause which led him to deliver his Church, according as he had graciously promised this blessing to her; but to stir up true believers to greater earnestness in prayer, he promises that what he has purposed to do of his own good pleasure, he will grant in answer to their requests. Nor is there any... 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 102:13-22

God's care for his people (Christ's care for his Church). The psalm passes from the individual to the nation or the society, and we have an earnest, effectual appeal for Divine pity and restoration. Primarily applicable to the ancient people of God, it applies as well to the recurring necessities of the Christian Church. We have— I. THE COMMUNITY ( THE CHURCH ) IN SORE DISTRESS . It is in a position to receive the mercy— the pity and the redemption of the Lord ( Psalms... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 102:17

He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer; rather, he hath regarded … and hath not despised (see the Revised Version). The word translated "destitute" is elsewhere ( Jeremiah 17:6 ) only used as the name of a shrub—probably the dwarf juniper, still so called by the Arabs. The dwarf juniper has "a gloomy stunted appearance" (Tristram), and well symbolizes the Israel of the Captivity period, dry and withered, like a wretched desert shrub. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 102:17

The prayer of the destitute. I. A TRUE DESCRIPTION OF MAN 'S SPIRITUAL CONDITION . He is destitute, not merely badly off; and he is without expectation, and without power of his own to better his condition. II. A WISE COUNSEL THAT WE ALL SHOULD FOLLOW . That we should wait upon God in fervent prayer and earnest cry. There is nothing else that we can do. There is nothing better that we could do. There is nothing that has ever succeeded so well. There is no... read more

Group of Brands