Psalm 102:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,

NIV: "The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth,

NASB: For He looked down from His holy height; From heaven the Lord looked upon the earth,

CSB: He looked down from his holy heights— the Lord gazed out from heaven to earth —

NLT: Tell them the Lord looked down from his heavenly sanctuary. He looked down to earth from heaven

KJV: For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth;

NKJV: For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,

Psalm 102:12–22 puts the psalmist's suffering into perspective. He realizes that God is still sovereign. Even better is to remember that the Lord's time of judgment is coming. One day, He will restore His people, Israel, and the entire world will learn to honor Him. The generations living after the psalmist should know that the Lord promised the victory they will live to see.

The psalmist uses dramatic images to depict his deep suffering. These emphasize ideas like loneliness, hopelessness, and despair. Even so, the psalmist knows that God is in control. He writes a message for future generations, telling them to see his own suffering as evidence that the Lord sees His people in their pain. The psalmist is sure that God will come to rescue His people, one day, and they will be safe forever.

This psalm's unusual subtitle appears to indicate when the song is appropriate, rather than the author or inspiration. Some suggest it refers to sadness as the people wait to be restored from Babylonian captivity. However, the song is very personal. Its themes resemble those of Psalms 22, 69, and 79, as well as parts of Isaiah. Despite pain, the psalmist praises and honors the Lord as God. A portion near the end of the psalm reappears in Hebrews 1:10–12.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/22/2024 8:47:25 AM