102:22 when the nations gather together,
and the kingdoms pay tribute to the Lord. 1
102:23 He has taken away my strength in the middle of life; 2
he has cut short my days.
102:24 I say, “O my God, please do not take me away in the middle of my life! 3
You endure through all generations. 4
102:25 In earlier times you established the earth;
the skies are your handiwork.
102:26 They will perish,
but you will endure. 5
They will wear out like a garment;
like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear. 6
102:27 But you remain; 7
your years do not come to an end.
102:28 The children of your servants will settle down here,
and their descendants 8 will live securely in your presence.” 9
1 tn “and the kingdoms to serve the
2 tn Heb “he has afflicted my strength in the way.” The term “way” refers here to the course of the psalmist’s life, which appears to be ending prematurely (vv. 23b-24).
3 tn Heb “do not lift me up in the middle of my days.”
4 tn Heb “in a generation of generations [are] your years.”
5 tn Heb “stand.”
6 tn The Hebrew verb חָלַף (khalaf) occurs twice in this line, once in the Hiphil (“you will remove them”) and once in the Qal (“they will disappear”). The repetition draws attention to the statement.
7 tn Heb “you [are] he,” or “you [are] the one.” The statement may echo the
8 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
9 tn Heb “before you will be established.”