July 7

Psalms 102:1 — 104:35

A prayer of the afflicted in case he grows feeble and pours out his concern before Jehovah himself.

102 O Jehovah, do hear my prayer;

      And to you may my own cry for help come.

 2 Do not conceal your face from me on the day that I am in sore straits.

      Incline to me your ear;

      On the day that I call, hurry, answer me.

 3 For my days have come to an end just like smoke,

      And my very bones have been made red-hot just like a fireplace.

 4 My heart has been struck just like vegetation and is dried up,

      For I have forgotten to eat my food.

 5 Because of the sound of my sighing

      My bones have stuck to my flesh.

 6 I do resemble the pelican of the wilderness.

      I have become like a little owl of desolated places.

 7 I have grown emaciated,

      And I am become like a bird isolated upon a roof.

 8 All day long my enemies have reproached me.

      Those making a fool of me have sworn even by me.

 9 For I have eaten ashes themselves just like bread;

      And the things I drink I have mingled even with weeping,

10 Because of your denunciation and your indignation;

       For you have lifted me up, that you might throw me away.

11 My days are like a shadow that has declined,

       And I myself am dried up like mere vegetation.

12 As for you, O Jehovah, to time indefinite you will dwell,

       And your memorial will be for generation after generation.

13 You yourself will arise, you will have mercy on Zion,

       For it is the season to be favorable to her,

       For the appointed time has come.

14 For your servants have found pleasure in her stones,

       And to her dust they direct their favor.

15 And the nations will fear the name of Jehovah,

       And all the kings of the earth your glory.

16 For Jehovah will certainly build up Zion;

       He must appear in his glory.

17 He will certainly turn to the prayer of those stripped [of everything],

       And not despise their prayer.

18 This is written for the future generation;

       And the people that is to be created will praise Jah.

19 For he has looked down from his holy height,

       From the very heavens Jehovah himself has looked even at the earth,

20 To hear the sighing of the prisoner,

       To loosen those appointed to death;

21 For the name of Jehovah to be declared in Zion

       And his praise in Jerusalem,

22 When the peoples are collected all together,

       And the kingdoms to serve Jehovah.

23 On the way he afflicted my power,

       He cut short my days.

24 I proceeded to say: “O my God,

       Do not take me off at the half of my days;

       Your years are throughout all generations.

25 Long ago you laid the foundations of the earth itself,

       And the heavens are the work of your hands.

26 They themselves will perish, but you yourself will keep standing;

       And just like a garment they will all of them wear out.

       Just like clothing you will replace them, and they will finish their turn.

27 But you are the same, and your own years will not be completed.

28 The sons of your servants will continue residing;

       And before you their own offspring will be firmly established.”

Of David.

103 Bless Jehovah, O my soul,

      Even everything within me, his holy name.

 2 Bless Jehovah, O my soul,

      And do not forget all his doings,

 3 Him who is forgiving all your error,

      Who is healing all your maladies,

 4 Who is reclaiming your life from the very pit,

      Who is crowning you with loving-kindness and mercies,

 5 Who is satisfying your lifetime with what is good;

      Your youth keeps renewing itself just like that of an eagle.

 6 Jehovah is executing acts of righteousness

      And judicial decisions for all those being defrauded.

 7 He made known his ways to Moses,

      His dealings even to the sons of Israel.

 8 Jehovah is merciful and gracious,

      Slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness.

 9 He will not for all time keep finding fault,

      Neither will he to time indefinite keep resentful.

10 He has not done to us even according to our sins;

       Nor according to our errors has he brought upon us what we deserve.

11 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

       His loving-kindness is superior toward those fearing him.

12 As far off as the sunrise is from the sunset,

       So far off from us he has put our transgressions.

13 As a father shows mercy to his sons,

       Jehovah has shown mercy to those fearing him.

14 For he himself well knows the formation of us,

       Remembering that we are dust.

15 As for mortal man, his days are like those of green grass;

       Like a blossom of the field is the way he blossoms forth.

16 For a mere wind has to pass over it, and it is no more;

       And its place will acknowledge it no further.

17 But the loving-kindness of Jehovah is from time indefinite even to time indefinite

       Toward those fearing him,

       And his righteousness to the sons of sons,

18 Toward those keeping his covenant

       And toward those remembering his orders so as to carry them out.

19 Jehovah himself has firmly established his throne in the very heavens;

       And over everything his own kingship has held domination.

20 Bless Jehovah, O YOU angels of his, mighty in power, carrying out his word,

       By listening to the voice of his word.

21 Bless Jehovah, all YOU armies of his,

       You ministers of his, doing his will.

22 Bless Jehovah, all YOU his works,

       In all places of his domination.

       Bless Jehovah, O my soul.

104 Bless Jehovah, O my soul.

      O Jehovah my God, you have proved very great.

      With dignity and splendor you have clothed yourself,

 2 Enwrapping yourself with light as with a garment,

      Stretching out the heavens like a tent cloth,

 3 The One building his upper chambers with beams in the very waters,

      Making the clouds his chariot,

      Walking upon the wings of the wind,

 4 Making his angels spirits,

      His ministers a devouring fire.

 5 He has founded the earth upon its established places;

      It will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever.

 6 With a watery deep just like a garment you covered it.

      The waters were standing above the very mountains.

 7 At your rebuke they began to flee;

      At the sound of your thunder they were sent running in panic—

 8 Mountains proceeded to ascend,

      Valley plains proceeded to descend—

      To the place that you have founded for them.

 9 A boundary you set, beyond which they should not pass,

      That they should not again cover the earth.

10 He is sending springs into the torrent valleys;

       Between the mountains they keep going on.

11 They continually give drink to all the wild beasts of the open field;

       The zebras regularly quench their thirst.

12 Above them roost the flying creatures of the heavens;

       From among the thick foliage they keep giving forth sound.

13 He is watering the mountains from his upper chambers.

       With the fruitage of your works the earth is satisfied.

14 He is making green grass sprout for the beasts,

       And vegetation for the service of mankind,

       To cause food to go forth from the earth,

15 And wine that makes the heart of mortal man rejoice,

       To make the face shine with oil,

       And bread that sustains the very heart of mortal man.

16 The trees of Jehovah are satisfied,

       The cedars of Lebanon that he planted,

17 Where the birds themselves make nests.

       As for the stork, the juniper trees are its house.

18 The high mountains are for the mountain goats;

       The crags are a refuge for the rock badgers.

19 He has made the moon for appointed times;

       The sun itself knows well where it sets.

20 You cause darkness, that it may become night;

       In it all the wild animals of the forest move forth.

21 The maned young lions are roaring for the prey

       And for seeking their food from God himself.

22 The sun begins to shine—they withdraw

       And they lie down in their own hiding places.

23 Man goes forth to his activity

       And to his service until evening.

24 How many your works are, O Jehovah!

       All of them in wisdom you have made.

       The earth is full of your productions.

25 As for this sea so great and wide,

       There there are moving things without number,

       Living creatures, small as well as great.

26 There the ships go;

       As for Leviathan, him you have formed to play about in it.

27 All of them—for you they keep waiting

       To give [them] their food in its season.

28 What you give them they pick up.

       You open your hand—they get satisfied with good things.

29 If you conceal your face, they get disturbed.

       If you take away their spirit, they expire,

       And back to their dust they go.

30 If you send forth your spirit, they are created;

       And you make the face of the ground new.

31 The glory of Jehovah will prove to be to time indefinite.

       Jehovah will rejoice in his works.

32 He is looking at the earth, and it trembles;

       He touches the mountains, and they smoke.

33 I will sing to Jehovah throughout my life;

       I will make melody to my God as long as I am.

34 Let my musing about him be pleasurable.

       I, for my part, shall rejoice in Jehovah.

35 The sinners will be finished off from the earth;

       And as for the wicked, they will be no longer.

       Bless Jehovah, O my soul. Praise Jah, YOU people!