102:12-13 In contrast to his own brief life the suffering psalmist voiced his belief that God would continue forever. The "thou"("you,"NIV) is emphatic in the Hebrew text stressing the contrast. He believed God would shortly execute justice for His own.
102:14-17 The godly in Israel loved Zion and sorrowed over its destitute condition. The description of the city in verse 14 sounds as if it had suffered destruction. The writer was confident that God would restore the city as He had promised. This assurance gave him a more positive attitude.
102:18-20 Confident of eventual restoration the psalmist spoke of future generations praising God for His faithfulness. He pictured God attentively looking down from heaven and observing His enslaved people. The writer may have been describing conditions as they existed during the Babylonian exile.
102:21-22 The psalmist looked forward to a gathering again in Zion. This took place to a limited extent after the exile, but it will occur on a worldwide scale in the Millennium.
