Psalm 102:3-9

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 102:3

For my days are consumed like smoke ,.... Which suddenly rises up, is easily dissipated, and quickly disappears; so sudden, short, and transient, are the days of man's life; see James 4:14 or "in smoke" F3 בעשן "in fumo", Montanus. , as the Syriac version; his days were spent in great obscurity, in the darkness of affliction, temptation, and desertion; and in so much vexation, trouble, and uneasiness, as if he had lived in smoke all his time: and my bones are burnt as an hearth ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 102:4

My heart is smitten, and withered like grass ,.... Like grass in the summer solstice F4 "Quasi solstitialis herba paulisper fui", Plauti Pseudolus, Acts 1 . Sc. 1. v. 36. , which being smitten with the heat of the sun, or by some blast of thunder and lightning, is dried up, and withers away; so his heart was smitten with a sense of sin, and of God's wrath and displeasure at him, and with the heat of affliction and trouble, that it failed him, and he could not look up with joy and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 102:5

By reason of the voice of my groaning ,.... Under the burden of sin, and pressure of afflictions: my bones cleave to my skin ; was quite emaciated, reduced to a skeleton, became nothing but skin and bone F5 "Ossa atque pellis sum", Plauti Capteivei, Act. 1. Sc. 2. v. 26. Asinaria 3. 6. v. 28. ; which sometimes is occasioned, as by outward afflictions, so by soul troubles: or "to my flesh" F6 לבשרי "carni meae", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, &c.; ; flesh is put for skin; see... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 102:6

I am like a pelican of the wilderness ,.... It may be so called, to distinguish it from another of the same name that lives upon the waters; which has the name of "pelican" in the Greek tongue, as is said, from its smiting and piercing its breast, and letting out blood for the reviving of its young; and in the Hebrew language, from its vomiting shell fish it has swallowed down; See Gill on Leviticus 11:18 where the word is rendered a "pelican" as here, and in Deuteronomy 14:17 , the same... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 102:7

I watch ,.... Night after night, and take no sleep; cannot get any by reason of thoughtfulness, care, and trouble: and am as a sparrow alone upon the housetop ; or, "as a bird" F15 כצפור "sicut avis", Gejerus, Schmidt. ; for there is no necessity of limiting it to a sparrow, to which the account does not seem so well to agree; for sparrows will not only perch on housetops and solitary places, but will make their nests in dwelling houses, and in places of public resort, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 102:8

Mine enemies reproach me all the day ,.... For his principles and practices, being different from theirs; for his religion, and preciseness in it; for his faith and profession of it, and for his holy walk and conversation. Good men have their enemies, and always had; but then they are such who are also enemies to God and Christ, and true religion; and these, not content to reproach now and then, continually throw out their scoffs and jeers; which is not grateful, and is here mentioned as an... 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 102:3

My days are consumed like smoke - He represents himself (for the psalmist speaks in the name of the people) under the notion of a pile of combustible matter, placed upon a fire, which soon consumes it; part flying away in smoke, and the residue lying on the hearth in the form of charred coal and ashes. The Chaldeans were the fire, and the captive Jews the fuel, thus converted into smoke and ashes. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 102:4

My heart is smitten, and withered like grass - The metaphor here is taken from grass cut down in the meadow. It is first smitten with the scythe, and then withered by the sun. Thus the Jews were smitten with the judgments of God; and they are now withered under the fire of the Chaldeans. read more

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