Psalm 102:9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 102:1-11

The title of this psalm is very observable; it is a prayer of the afflicted. It was composed by one that was himself afflicted, afflicted with the church and for it; and on those that are of a public spirit afflictions of that kind lie heavier than any other. It is calculated for an afflicted state, and is intended for the use of others that may be in the like distress; for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written designedly for our use. The whole word of God is of use to direct... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 102:9

For I have eaten ashes like bread ,.... He sitting in ashes, as Job did, and rolling himself in them in the manner of mourners; and, having no other table than the ground to eat his food upon, he might eat ashes along with it; and by an hypallage of the words, the sense may be, that he ate bread like ashes, no more savoured and relished it, or was nourished by it, than if he had eaten ashes; the meaning is, that he was fed with the bread of adversity, and water of affliction: and mingled... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 102:9

I have eaten ashes like bread - Fearful of what they might do, we all humbled ourselves before thee, and sought thy protection; well knowing that, unless we were supernaturally assisted, we must all have perished; our enemies having sworn our destruction. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 102:9

Verse 9 9For I have eaten ashes like bread Some think that the order is here inverted, and that the letter כ, caph, the sign of similitude, which is put before לחם, lechem, the word for bread, ought to be placed before אפר, epher, the word forashes; as if it had been said, I find no more relish for my bread than I do for ashes; and the reason is, because sorrow of heart produces loathing of food. But the simpler meaning is, that lying prostrate on the ground, they licked, as it were, the earth,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 102:1-11

Affliction. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous"— even of the righteous, and sometimes these are almost, if not altogether, overwhelming. We expect to find suffering and sorrow among the guilty, but experience teaches us that it is— I. THE OCCASIONAL PORTION OF THE GODLY . Seldom, indeed, is the good man reduced to such distress as that described in the text; yet it does occur; troubles do sometimes accumulate where they seem least deserved or least necessary. But... 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 102:9

For I have eaten ashes like bread; i.e. "the 'ashes' of humiliation have been my food. I have, as it were, fed on them." A literal mingling of ashes with his food is not to be thought of. And mingled my drink with weeping ( comp. Psalms 42:3 ; Psalms 80:5 ). read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 102:9

For I have eaten ashes like bread - I have seated myself in ashes in my grief (compare Job 2:8; Job 42:6; Isaiah 58:5; Isaiah 61:3; Jonah 3:6; Daniel 9:3; Matthew 11:21); and ashes have become, as it were, my food. The ashes in which he sat had been mingled with his food.And mingled my drink with weeping - Tears have fallen into the cup from which I drank, and have become a part of my drink. The idea is, that he had shed copious tears; and that even when he took his food, there was no respite... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Psalms 102:9-10

Psalms 102:9-10. I have eaten ashes like bread That is, instead of eating my bread, I have laid down in dust and ashes. Or, dust and ashes are as constant and familiar to me as the eating of my bread; I cover my head with them; I sit, yea, lie down among them, as mourners often did, by which means the ashes might easily be mingled with their meat as tears were with their drink, as mentioned in the next clause. And mingled my drink, &c. He alludes to the custom of mingling their wine... read more

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