TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 102:12–22. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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 (Psa 102:12):
"My days are like a shadow; there is no remedy; night is coming upon me; but, thou, O Lord! shalt endure for ever. Our life is transient, but thine is permanent; our friends die, but thou our God diest not; what threatened us cannot touch thee; our names will be written in the dust and buried in oblivion, but thy remembrance shall be unto all generations; to the end of time, nay, to eternity, thou shalt be known and honoured." A good man loves God better than himself, and therefore can balance his own sorrow and death with the pleasing thought of the unchangeable blessedness of the Eternal Mind. God endures for ever, his church's faithful patron and protector; and, his honour and perpetual remembrance being very much bound up in her interests, we may be confident that they shall not be neglected.
II.Poor Zion is now in distress, but there will come a time for her relief and succour (Psa 102:13):
Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion. The hope of deliverance is built upon the goodness of God - "Thou wilt have mercy upon Zion, for she has become an object of thy pity;" and upon the power of God - "Thou shalt arise and have mercy, shalt stir up thyself to do it, shalt do it in contempt of all the opposition made by the church's enemies." The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this. That which is very encouraging is that there is a time set for the deliverance of the church, which not only will come some time, but will come at the time appointed, the time which Infinite Wisdom has appointed (and therefore it is the best time) and which Eternal Truth has fixed it to, and therefore it is a certain time, and shall not be forgotten nor further adjourned. At the end of seventy years, the time to favour Zion, by delivering her from the daughter of Babylon, was to come, and at length it did come. Zion was now in ruins, that is, the temple that was built in the city of David: the favouring of Zion is the building of the temple up again, as it is explained, Psa 102:16. This is expected from the favour of God; that will set all to rights, and nothing but that, and therefore Daniel prays (Dan 9:17), Cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary, which is desolate. The building up of Zion is as great a favour to any people as they can desire. No blessing more desirable to a ruined state than the restoring and re-establishing of their church-privileges. Now this is here wished for and longed for,
1.Because it would be a great rejoicing to Zion's friends (Psa 102:14): Thy servants take pleasure even in the stones of the temple, though they were thrown down and scattered, and favour the dust, the very rubbish and ruins of it. Observe here, When the temple was ruined, yet the stones of it were to be had for a new building, and there were those who encouraged themselves with that, for they had a favour even for the dust of it. Those who truly love the church of God love it when it is in affliction as well as when it is in prosperity; and it is a good ground to hope that God will favour the ruins of Zion when he puts it into the heart of his people to favour them, and to show that they do so by their prayers and by their endeavours; as it is also a good plea with God for mercy for Zion that there are those who are so affectionately concerned for her, and are waiting for the salvation of the Lord.
2.Because it would have a good influence upon Zion's neighbours, Psa 102:15. It will be a happy means perhaps of their conversion, at least of their conviction; for so the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, shall have high thoughts of him and his people, and even the kings of the earth shall be affected with his glory. They shall have better thoughts of the church of God than they have had, when God by his providence thus puts an honour upon it; they shall be afraid of doing any thing against it when they see God taking its part; nay, they shall say, We will go with you, for we have seen that God is with you, Zac 8:23. Thus it is said (Est 8:17) that many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.
3.Because it would redound to the honour of Zion's God (Psa 102:16): When the Lord shall build up Zion. They take it for granted it will be done, for God himself has undertaken it, and he shall then appear in his glory; and for that reason all that have made his glory their highest end desire it and pray for it. Note, The edifying of the church will be the glorifying of God, and therefore we may be assured it will be done in the set time. Those that pray in faith, Father, glorify thy name, may receive the same answer to that prayer which was given to Christ himself by a voice from heaven, I have both glorified it and I will glorify it yet again, though now for a time it may be eclipsed.
III.The prayers of God's people now seem to be slighted and no notice taken of them, but they will be reviewed and greatly encouraged (Psa 102:17): He will regard the prayer of the destitute. It was said (Psa 102:16) that God will appear in his glory, such a glory as kings themselves shall stand in awe of, Psa 102:15. When great men appear in their glory they are apt to look with disdain upon the poor that apply to them; but the great God will not do so. Observe,
1.The meanness of the petitioners; they are the destitute. It is an elegant word that is here used, which signifies the heath in the wilderness, a low shrub, or bush, like the hyssop of the wall. They are supposed to be in a low and broken state, enriched with spiritual blessings, but destitute of temporal good things - the poor, the weak, the desolate, the stripped; thus variously is the word rendered; or it may signify that low and broken spirit which God looks for in all that draw nigh to him and which he will graciously look upon. This will bring them to their knees. Destitute people should be praying people, Ti1 5:5.
2.The favour of God to them, notwithstanding their meanness: He will regard their prayer, and will look at it, will peruse their petition (Ch2 6:40), and he will not despise their prayer. More is implied than is expressed: he will value it and be well pleased with it, and will return an answer of peace to it, which is the greatest honour that can be put upon it. But it is thus expressed because others despise their praying, they themselves fear God will despise it, and he was thought to despise it while their affliction was prolonged and their prayers lay unanswered. When we consider our own meanness and vileness, our darkness and deadness, and the manifold defects in our prayers, we have cause to suspect that our prayers will be received with disdain in heaven; but we are here assured of the contrary, for we have an advocate with the Father, and are under grace, not under the law. This instance of God's favour to his praying people, though they are destitute, will be a lasting encouragement to prayer (Psa 102:18): This shall be written for the generation to come, that none may despair, though they be destitute, nor think their prayers forgotten because they have not an answer to them immediately. The experiences of others should be our encouragements to seek unto God and trust in him. And, if we have the comfort of the experiences of others, it is fit that we should give God the glory of them: The people who shall be created shall praise the Lord for what he has done both for them and for their predecessors. Many that are now unborn shall, by reading the history of the church, be wrought upon to turn proselytes. The people that shall be created anew by divine grace, that are a kind of first-fruits of his creatures, shall praise the Lord for his answers to their prayers when they were more destitute.
IV.The prisoners under condemnation unjustly seem as sheep appointed for the slaughter, but care shall be taken for their discharge (Psa 102:19, Psa 102:20): God has looked down from the height of his sanctuary, from heaven, where he has prepared his throne, that high place, that holy place; thence did the Lord behold the earth, for it is a place of prospect, and nothing on this earth is or can be hidden from his all-seeing eye; he looks down, not to take a view of the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, but to do acts of grace, to hear the groaning of the prisoners (which we desire to be out of the hearing of), and not only to hear them, but to help them, to loose those that are appointed to death, then when there is but a step between them and it. Some understand it of the release of the Jews out of their captivity in Babylon. God heard their groaning there as he did when they were in Egypt (Exo 3:7, Exo 3:9) and came down to deliver them. God takes notice not only of the prayers of his afflicted people, which are the language of grace, but even of their groans, which are the language of nature. See the divine pity in hearing the prisoner's groans, and the divine power in loosing the prisoner's bonds, even when they are appointed to death and are pinioned and double-shackled. We have an instance in Peter, Act 12:6. Such instances as these of the divine condescension and compassion will help,
1.To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and to make it appear that he answers to his name, which he himself proclaimed, The Lord God, gracious and merciful; and this declaration of his name in Zion shall be the matter of his praise in Jerusalem, Psa 102:21. If God by his providences declare his name, we must by our acknowledgments of them declare his praise, which ought to be the echo of his name. God will discharge his people that were prisoners and captives in Babylon, that they may declare his name in Zion, the place he has chosen to put his name there, and his praise in Jerusalem, at their return thither; in the land of their captivity they could not sing the songs of Zion (Psa 137:3, Psa 137:4), and God brought them again to Jerusalem in order that they might sing them there. For this end God gives liberty from bondage (Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name, Psa 142:7), and life from the dead. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee, Psa 119:175.
2.They will help to draw in others to the worship of God (Psa 102:22): When the people of God are gathered together at Jerusalem (as they were after their return out of Babylon) many out of the kingdoms joined with them to serve the Lord. This was fulfilled Ezr 6:21, where we find that not only the children of Israel that had come out of captivity, but many that had separated themselves from them among the heathen, did keep the feast of unleavened bread with joy. But it may look further, at the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith of Christ in the latter days. Christ has proclaimed liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those that were bound, that they may declare the name of the Lord in the gospel-church, in which Jews and Gentiles shall unite.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
"He has turned Him unto the prayer of the poor destitute, and despised not their desire" [Psalm 102:17]. This is going on now in the building of Sion: the builders of Sion pray, they groan: He is the one poor, because the poor are many; because the thousands among so many nations are one in Him, because He is the unity of the peace of the Church, He is one, He is many: one, through love: many, on account of His extension. Therefore we now pray, we now run: now, if any man has used to be otherwise, and lived differently, let him eat ashes as it were bread, and mingle his drink with weeping. Now is the time, when Sion is in building: now the stones are entering into the structure: when the building is finished, and the house dedicated, why do you run, to ask when too late, to beg in vain, to knock to no purpose, doomed to abide without with the five foolish virgins? [Matthew 25:12] Therefore now run.
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Summary
Psalms 102:17 offers profound assurance of God's unwavering attentiveness and compassionate response to the cries of the most vulnerable. It declares that the Lord actively turns His ear toward those who are stripped of all human support and resources, valuing their petitions and never disdaining their desperate pleas. This verse stands as a powerful testament to God's character as a loving and just Father who deeply cares for the afflicted and responds to their humble prayers, providing a beacon of hope amidst despair.
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 102 is a deeply personal and poignant lament, explicitly titled "A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord." The psalmist, likely facing severe personal distress, illness, or perhaps even national calamity, pours out a raw expression of suffering, isolation, and a profound sense of abandonment, as vividly portrayed in passages like the psalmist's anguish. Amidst this intense personal anguish and a plea for relief, the psalm undergoes a remarkable shift. From God's enduring nature, the focus moves from the psalmist's fleeting life to God's eternal nature and His enduring plans for Zion. Verse 17 serves as a pivotal point in this transition, moving from the psalmist's personal despair to a declaration of God's faithfulness and His covenantal care, particularly for the vulnerable and downtrodden, providing a beacon of hope that transcends individual suffering and points to a future restoration.
Historical & Cultural Context
The context of Psalm 102 is the experience of deep affliction, which could stem from personal illness, social ostracization, or the devastation of exile, as suggested by references to Zion's desolation in God's favor for Zion. In ancient Israel, the "destitute" ('ar'ar) were not merely the financially poor but encompassed those who were socially marginalized, oppressed, or utterly without human recourse—widows, orphans, sojourners, and the sick. The Mosaic Law and prophetic tradition repeatedly emphasize God's special concern for these vulnerable groups, as seen in passages like care for the poor and justice and righteousness. The act of prayer, especially from the Temple or facing Jerusalem, was central to Israelite piety, and the assurance that God would hear the prayers of the "destitute" was a radical statement of divine justice and compassion in a world where the powerful often ignored the weak.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the Psalms and broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Divine Compassion for the Vulnerable. God is not a distant deity but one intimately concerned with the suffering of His people, especially those who are most helpless and forgotten. This resonates with God's self-revelation as "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness" found in God's character revealed. Secondly, it highlights the Efficacy of Humble Prayer. The verse affirms that prayer, particularly from a place of desperation and complete dependence, is not ignored by God. It assures that such petitions find favor in His sight, emphasizing that the sincerity and need of the heart matter more than eloquence or status. Finally, it reinforces the theme of God's Unwavering Attentiveness and Faithfulness. "He will regard" signifies God's active listening, consideration, and valuing of the prayer, while "and not despise their prayer" further reinforces that their cries are not scorned or dismissed, regardless of the petitioner's lowly status or the perceived insignificance of their plea. This truth provides profound hope amidst despair, assuring that God's covenant promises extend even to the most afflicted.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From a primitive root meaning "to turn," this verb signifies God's active attention and favorable inclination. It's not merely a passive hearing but an intentional turning towards the petitioner, implying consideration, care, and a readiness to respond. It conveys a sense of divine presence and engagement with the one who prays, indicating that God is not indifferent but actively focused on the plea.
Derived from a root meaning "to be naked" or "stripped," this word vividly portrays a state of extreme vulnerability, desolation, and utter lack of resources or support. It refers to someone who is utterly helpless, without any human means of relief, and therefore completely dependent on divine intervention. This emphasizes the depth of the petitioner's need and highlights God's particular concern for those who are truly without anything to offer or rely upon except Him.
This verb means "to disesteem," "to scorn," "to treat with contempt," or "to reject." The negation, "not despise," powerfully underscores God's acceptance and validation of the prayer. It assures the petitioner that their cries, however weak, uneloquent, or from a place of perceived unworthiness, will not be met with contempt or dismissal, but with divine welcome and affirmation, demonstrating God's profound respect for the humble.
Verse Breakdown
"He will regard the prayer of the destitute"
This clause declares God's active and compassionate attention to those who are utterly stripped of human help, resources, or dignity. The divine "turning toward" (regard) signifies an intentional act of listening, valuing, and considering the petition of the one who is most vulnerable and dependent. It highlights God's unique concern for the marginalized and forgotten, asserting that their voices are not lost in the clamor of the world but are specifically sought out by the Almighty, who inclines His ear to their desperate cries.
"and not despise their prayer"
This second clause functions as a powerful reinforcement and clarification of the first. By negating the possibility of God despising their prayer, it removes any doubt about His acceptance. It assures that the prayers of the humble, the broken, and the seemingly insignificant are never scorned, rejected, or treated with contempt. Instead, they are received with divine favor, validating the worth and dignity of the petitioner in God's eyes, regardless of their earthly status or perceived unworthiness, demonstrating His radical grace.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. Most prominently, it utilizes Synonymous Parallelism, where the second clause ("and not despise their prayer") reiterates and intensifies the meaning of the first ("He will regard the prayer of the destitute"). This repetition serves to emphasize the certainty and unwavering nature of God's attentiveness and acceptance. The use of Negation ("not despise") further strengthens the affirmation of God's positive disposition, highlighting His compassionate character by explicitly ruling out the opposite. Additionally, there is a subtle form of Anthropomorphism, attributing human actions and emotions (to "regard" and "not despise") to God, making His divine attributes more relatable and comprehensible to the human experience of prayer and relationship, thereby inviting trust and intimacy.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 102:17 is a cornerstone verse for understanding God's character as fundamentally compassionate and just, particularly towards the vulnerable. It reveals a God who does not operate according to human hierarchies or social standing, but whose ear is uniquely inclined towards those in their deepest need. This truth undergirds the biblical emphasis on prayer as a powerful means of communion with God, especially for those who feel they have nothing left but their voice. It affirms that God's covenant faithfulness extends to every individual, regardless of their circumstances, and that His justice is expressed through His active response to the cries of the oppressed. This divine attentiveness also serves as a model for human compassion, calling believers to reflect God's heart for the "destitute" in their own communities, embodying His regard in tangible acts of love and justice.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 102:17 offers profound comfort and practical guidance for believers today. In a world that often overlooks or dismisses the marginalized, this verse reminds us that God's perspective is radically different. It encourages us, when we feel overwhelmed, forgotten, or utterly depleted—whether physically, emotionally, spiritually, or financially—to bring our raw, unvarnished prayers before the Lord. Our perceived lack of eloquence, worthiness, or strength does not diminish the value of our petitions in God's sight. He actively seeks out the cries of the "destitute," not to judge them, but to embrace them with compassion and respond with divine intervention. This truth should embolden us to pray with absolute confidence, knowing that our desperate pleas are not only heard but "regarded" and never "despised" by the God who cares deeply for His children. Furthermore, it challenges us to cultivate a similar heart of compassion, actively seeking out and responding to the needs of the vulnerable in our own spheres of influence, becoming agents of God's regard in the world and extending His grace to those whom society often overlooks.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "destitute" truly mean in this context, and does it only apply to material poverty?
The Hebrew word translated "destitute" is ʻarʻâr (עַרְעָר), which literally means "stripped," "bare," or "exposed." While it certainly includes those in material poverty, its meaning is much broader. It encompasses anyone in a state of extreme vulnerability, desolation, or utter lack of resources or support—whether physical, emotional, spiritual, or relational. It describes a person who is completely dependent on divine intervention because all human avenues of help have failed or are nonexistent. Therefore, this verse applies not only to the financially poor but also to the heartbroken, the lonely, the oppressed, the sick, and anyone who feels utterly helpless and without recourse, echoing the "poor in spirit" whom Jesus declares blessed in Matthew 5:3.
How does God "regard" prayer, and what does it mean that He "does not despise" it?
To "regard" (Hebrew pânâh') implies much more than simply hearing. It signifies God's active, intentional turning towards the prayer, giving it His full attention, consideration, and favor. It suggests a divine inclination of the ear and heart towards the petitioner, valuing their words and their need. The phrase "and not despise their prayer" further reinforces this. To "despise" (Hebrew bâzâh') means to scorn, treat with contempt, or reject. By stating that God "does not despise" the prayer of the destitute, the psalmist assures us that no prayer, no matter how simple, desperate, or seemingly unworthy the petitioner, will be met with disdain or dismissal by God. Instead, it is received with acceptance, compassion, and a readiness to respond, demonstrating God's radical grace and welcoming nature, in stark contrast to human judgment or indifference.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 102:17 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the embodiment of God's "regard" for the destitute, actively seeking out and ministering to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, and the outcast during His earthly ministry, as seen in Jesus' compassion for the crowds. Jesus Himself became "destitute" for our sake, emptying Himself of divine glory to take on human form, experiencing hunger, weariness, and ultimately suffering the ultimate vulnerability of death on a cross, as described in Christ's humiliation. In His incarnation, He fully identified with humanity's deepest needs and vulnerabilities, becoming the perfect High Priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, as affirmed in Christ our High Priest. Through His atoning sacrifice, He has opened the way for all, especially the "destitute" in spirit, to approach God's throne of grace with confidence, knowing their prayers will be heard and "regarded" through Him, as we are invited to approach the throne of grace. As our resurrected Lord, He continues to intercede for us at the right hand of God, ensuring that the Father always "regards" and "does not despise" the prayers of those who come to Him through the Son, a truth powerfully articulated in Christ's intercession and Christ's eternal priesthood. Thus, Jesus is the living assurance that God's ear is always inclined to the cries of the brokenhearted, and through Him, our most desperate prayers are always welcomed and answered according to His perfect will.