Psalms 102:23

ยถ He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.

He weakened {H6031} my strength {H3581} in the way {H1870}; he shortened {H7114} my days {H3117}.

He has broken my strength in midcourse, he has cut short my days.

He has broken my strength on the way; He has cut short my days.

He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days.

Commentary

Commentary on Psalms 102:23 KJV

Psalms 102:23 stands as a poignant cry from the heart of one deeply afflicted: "He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days." This verse captures a profound sense of physical and spiritual decline, attributing the suffering directly to God's sovereign hand.

Context

Psalm 102 is titled "A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD." It is a lament psalm, a genre common in the Old Testament where the psalmist pours out deep distress, often due to illness, persecution, or national calamity, before God. The psalmist feels utterly abandoned and consumed by suffering, seeing their life rapidly diminishing. This particular verse reflects a profound sense of personal devastation, a feeling that life's vigor is being drained away and its span cut short, leading to a desperate plea for divine intervention.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Sovereignty in Suffering: The psalmist directly attributes their weakened state and shortened life to God ("He weakened... he shortened"). This highlights a deep theological understanding of God's ultimate control over all circumstances, even the most painful and seemingly destructive. It's a raw acknowledgment that nothing happens outside of His allowance or purpose, a theme echoed in Job's declaration, "The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away".
  • Despair and Helplessness: The verse vividly portrays a sense of physical and temporal decline. "Weakened my strength" speaks to a loss of vital energy and capability, while "shortened my days" conveys the fear of a premature end or a life that feels unfulfilled and cut short by suffering. This is a cry of profound helplessness before overwhelming affliction.
  • Vulnerability of Human Life: It underscores the fragility of human existence and how quickly life's prime can be diminished by hardship, disease, or divine judgment.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew behind "weakened my strength" uses the verb 'innah (ืขึดื ึธึผื”), which means to afflict, humble, or oppress. The word for "strength" is koach (ื›ึนึผื—ึท), referring to vital energy, power, or vigor. So, it's more than just physical weakness; it implies an oppression that saps one's very life force. "Shortened my days" comes from the verb qatsar (ืงึธืฆึทืจ), meaning to cut off, shorten, or harvest. This conveys a sense of life being abruptly or prematurely curtailed, a common lament in ancient times when a long life was seen as a blessing.

Practical Application

For believers today, Psalm 102:23 offers several insights:

  1. Validation of Honest Lament: This verse provides language for expressing deep distress and feeling overwhelmed. It assures us that it is permissible, even biblical, to voice our rawest emotions to God, acknowledging His hand even in our suffering.
  2. Trust in Divine Sovereignty: While painful, recognizing God's ultimate control over our circumstances, even our lifespan and vigor, can paradoxically lead to deeper trust. It reinforces that our lives are in His hands, whether for life or for death, as seen in Deuteronomy 32:39, "I kill, and I make alive".
  3. Perspective on Life's Brevity: The psalmist's fear of shortened days reminds us of the brevity of human life. This can motivate us to live purposefully, seeking God's will and eternal perspectives, rather than being solely focused on earthly comforts or longevity. It invites us to consider what truly matters when facing the fragility of existence.

Even in the depths of despair, the psalmist's complaint is directed to the LORD, demonstrating an underlying faith that God is still the one who hears and can intervene.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Psalms 89:38

    ยถ But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.

  • Psalms 89:47

    Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:3

    ยถ Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:12

    That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

  • 1 Timothy 4:1

    ยถ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

  • 1 Timothy 4:3

    Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

  • 2 Timothy 3:1

    ยถ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
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