Psalm 102:18-22 The Message
18-22 Write this down for the next generation
so people not yet born will praise God:
“God looked out from his high holy place;
from heaven he surveyed the earth.
He listened to the groans of the doomed,
he opened the doors of their death cells.”
Write it so the story can be told in Zion,
so God’s praise will be sung in Jerusalem’s streets
And wherever people gather together
along with their rulers to worship him.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
This offers a glimpse into the transcendent and compassionate nature of God.
In these verses, the psalmist reflects on how God’s attention extends not only to the exalted heavens but also to the needs and cries of those on earth.
This passage captures the essence of divine care and involvement in the lives of humanity.
The opening line, “For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary,” draws our attention to the divine perspective. It conveys the idea that God’s sanctuary, a place of truest holiness and divine presence, is located high above.
This imagery emphasizes the exalted nature of God and the heavens.
The phrase “From heaven, Yahweh saw the earth” reinforces the notion that God’s gaze transcends the earthly realm. It signifies God’s omniscience and omnipresence—the ability to see and understand all that happens on earth.
This imagery conveys a sense of divine awareness that extends beyond human comprehension.
The subsequent words, “to hear the groans of the prisoner,” highlight God’s compassionate response to the suffering of those in distress.
The word “groans” conveys deep and heartfelt expressions of pain or anguish.
God’s willingness to hear these groans illustrates his attentiveness to the cries of the afflicted marginalized.
The mention of prisoners emphasizes the marginalized and those held captive.
It alludes to those who are oppressed, bound, disabled, shunned or restricted—both physically and metaphorically. The emphasis on prisoners speaks to the psalmist’s understanding of God as a supreme deliverer who extends his care to quite literally everyone, without exception, even to those in dire situations.
The verse continues, “to free those who are condemned to death.”
This phrase underscores God’s role as a redeemer and savior.
It signifies his power to intervene in situations where death seems imminent.
Whether this refers to physical life or the spiritual deliverance from the hard condemnation of sin, it echoes into the ages, the theme of rescue and salvation.
Together, these verses depict a God who is not aloof or detached or distant or double minded, but a God whose intimately involved in the lives of individuals.
The psalmist’s portrayal of God’s actions—looking down, seeing, hearing, and freeing—vividly captures the true essence of a caring and compassionate deity.
It reflects the psalmist’s complete confidence in God’s responsiveness to all human suffering, without bias, and his ability to bring about transformation.
For believers, Psalm 102:19-20 carries timeless significance.
It reminds us that our prayers and cries for help do not fall on deaf ears. God’s holy sanctuary, His divine dwelling place, is not distant or inaccessible; rather, it is already on earth and he actively engages with the world and its inhabitants.
This passage reinforces the biblical truth that God cares for the brokenhearted, the oppressed, and those in need.
As we reflect on these verses, we’re reminded of God’s constant presence and willingness to intervene in our lives.
It encourages us to approach God with our struggles, knowing that He hears our cry’s and groans, has the power to deliver us from various forms of captivity.
This passage invites us to trust in God’s compassionate nature and to draw comfort from the fact that he is the ultimate source of hope and salvation.
In conclusion,
Psalm 102:19-20 portrays God’s divine perspective and compassionate involvement in the affairs of humanity.
It speaks to His awareness of our struggles, His willingness to listen to our cries, and His unmatched ability to bring deliverance and salvation.
This passage invites believers to approach God with confidence, knowing that He is intimately engaged with our lives and cares deeply for our well-being.
“Let not your heart be troubled.”
His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness,
I lose my doubt and fear.
Though by the path He leadeth,
But one step I may see:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy—
I sing because I’m free—
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
His Eye Is on the Sparrow
https://hymnary.org/text/why_should_i_feel_discouraged_why_should#Author
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
Psalm 139 The Message
139 1-6 God, investigate my life;
get all the facts firsthand.
I’m an open book to you;
even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
I’m never out of your sight.
You know everything I’m going to say
before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you’re there,
then up ahead and you’re there, too—
your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
I can’t take it all in!
7-12 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?
to be out of your sight?
If I climb to the sky, you’re there!
If I go underground, you’re there!
If I flew on morning’s wings
to the far western horizon,
You’d find me in a minute—
you’re already there waiting!
Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
At night I’m immersed in the light!”
It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you;
night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.
13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day.
17-22 Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!
God, I’ll never comprehend them!
I couldn’t even begin to count them—
any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!
And please, God, do away with wickedness for good!
And you murderers—out of here!—
all the men and women who belittle you, God,
infatuated with cheap god-imitations.
See how I hate those who hate you, God,
see how I loathe all this godless arrogance;
I hate it with pure, unadulterated hatred.
Your enemies are my enemies!
23-24 Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 