Psalms 102:17
in Psalms 102He will turn toward the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their prayer.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He hath regarded the prayer of the destitute, And hath not despised their prayer.
KJV
He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
⋯
This verse in Psalms 102
Commentary
9 notes on this verseOBSERVE that the verse which precedes the text describes the Lord as appearing in His Glory. His Zion is to be built up and therefore her King puts on the robes of His splendor. The imagery sets forth the Lord as a great Monarch, superintending with great pomp and state, the building of a sumptuous palace. We see Him commanding the architects and the workmen, and passing from point to point amid attending courtiers. Trumpets are sounding, banners are displayed, princes and nobles glitter in their array and the King appears in His Glory.
This site's exposition
have compassion on Zion
on Psalms 102:13-17
The appointed time has come. The prayer leaves the sufferer and turns to Zion, where what the servants love is her stones and her dust, affection reaching as far as the rubble. The destitute man's own prayer is heard too, and the nations and their kings see the glory.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"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.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He will regard the prayer of the destitute,.... Of the destitute of human help and support, protection and defence; as the church in the wilderness; of the "poor", as the Syriac and Arabic versions, both in spirit and in purse; of the "humble", as the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin: the word (c) signifies a low shrub or plant; it is rendered, the heath in the wilderness, Jer 17:6 and designs the saints in their low and afflicted state, during the reign of antichrist, and while the witnesses prophesy in sackcloth; these are the elect that pray day and night, and give the Lord no rest till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the earth; and the prayers of these are regarded and looked to by the Lord; his eyes are upon and his ears are open to these praying ones; and all the glorious things which shall be done for the church of God will be in consequence of their prayers: and not despise their prayer; not reject it with contempt and abhorrence; more is intended than is expressed: the meaning is, that he will receive it with pleasure, and return an answer to it; the prayer of these poor destitute ones is delightful to him, Pro 15:8. (c) הערער "eorum, qui sunt veluti myricae", Pagninus, Vatablus, Cocceius.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
He will regard the prayer of the destitute. Only the poorest of the people were left to sigh and cry among the ruins of the beloved city; as for the rest, they were strangers in a strange land, and far away from the holy place, yet the prayers of the captives and the forlorn offscourings of the land would be heard of the Lord, who does not hear men because of the amount of money they possess, or the breadth of the acres which they call their own, but in mercy listens most readily to the cry of the greatest need. And not despise their prayer. When great kings are building their palaces it is not reasonable to expect them to turn aside and listen to every beggar who pleads with them, yet when the Lord builds up Zion, and appears in his robes of glory, he makes a point of listening to every petition of the poor and needy. He will not treat their pleas with contempt; he will incline his ear to hear, his heart to consider, and his hand to help. What comfort is here for those who account themselves to be utterly destitute; their abject want is here met with a most condescending promise. It is worth while to be destitute to be thus assured of the divine regard.
OBSERVE that the verse which precedes the text describes the Lord as appearing in His Glory. His Zion is to be built up and therefore her King puts on the robes of His splendor. The imagery sets forth the Lord as a great Monarch, superintending with great pomp and state, the building of a sumptuous palace. We see Him commanding the architects and the workmen, and passing from point to point amid attending courtiers. Trumpets are sounding, banners are displayed, princes and nobles glitter in their array and the King appears in His Glory. But who is this, whose mournful wail, disturbs the harmony? From where comes this ragged beggar who bows before the Prince? Surely he will be dragged away by the soldiers, or cast into prison by the wardens for daring to pollute so grand a ceremony by such wretched presumption! Were there not streets, lanes and dark corners enough for beggars? Why need he thrust himself in where his rags are so much out of place? But look! The King hears him! The sound of the trumpet has not drowned the voice of the destitute. His Majesty listens to him while he asks for an alms and in matchless compassion pities all his groans. Who is this King, but Jehovah? Of Him, only, is it said, "He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer." The verse is enhanced in its beauty by its connection, even as a fair jewel receives an added beauty from the lovely neck upon which it sparkles. Let us read the verse, again, in this soft silver light. "When the Lord shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His Glory. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer." It is clear that the heart of the Lord delights in the cries of needy souls and nothing can prevent His hearing them. No occupation is so sublime as to distract the Lord's attention from the prayer of the most humble of His mourners.
He will regard the prayer of the destitute.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
The prayer of the destitute - הערער haarar of him who is laid in utter ruin, who is entirely wasted.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He will regard the prayer - literally, “He looks upon,” or “he ‘turns himself’ to their prayer.” He does not any longer seem to turn away from them and disregard them. He shows by thus building up Zion that he does regard prayer; that he hears the supplications of his people. There is no higher proof that prayer is heard than that which is often furnished in a revival of pure religion. All such revivals, like that on the day of Pentecost (Act 2:1 ff), are usually preceded, as that was Act 1:13-14, by special prayer; in those revivals there are often most manifest and clear answers to prayer for the conversion of individuals; to prayer for a blessing on a preached gospel; to prayer for particular relatives and friends. Of the destitute - literally, “of the poor.” The word - ערער ‛ar‛âr - occurs only here and in Jer 17:6, where it is rendered “heath:” “He shall be like the ‘heath’ in the desert.” The word, according to its etymology, means “naked;” then, poor, stripped of everything, impoverished, wholly destitute. It would thus be eminently applicable to the poor exiles in Babylon; it is as applicable to sinners pleading with God, and to the people of God themselves, destitute of everything like self-righteousness, and feeling that they have nothing in themselves, but that they are wholly dependent on the mercy of God. Compare Rev 3:17. And not despise their prayer - Not treat it with contempt; not pass it by unheard. This is stated as one of the reasons why the nations would be struck with awe - that God, the infinite God, would hear the prayers of those who were so poor, so powerless, so friendless. There is, in fact, nothing more suited to excite wonder than that God does hear the prayer of poor, lost, sinful man.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| פָּ֭נָה | panah | he has turned | H6437 → | 135 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| תְּפִלַּ֣ת | tefilat | [the] prayer of | H8605 → | 72 times |
| הָעַרְעָ֑ר | haarar | the destitute person | H6199 → | |
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| בָ֝זָ֗ה | vazah | he has despised | H959 → | 44 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| תְּפִלָּתָֽם׃ | tefilatam | prayer their | H8605 → | 72 times |
פָּ֭נָהhe has turned
panahH6437 →135 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
תְּפִלַּ֣ת[the] prayer of
tefilatH8605 →72 times
הָעַרְעָ֑רthe destitute person
haararH6199 →
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
בָ֝זָ֗הhe has despised
vazahH959 →44 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
תְּפִלָּתָֽם׃prayer their
tefilatamH8605 →72 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 22:24For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He has not hidden His face from him, but has attended to his cry for help.
it leads to
- Hebrews 5:7
During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His…
- Isaiah 50:6–9
I offered My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard. I did not hide My face from scorn and spittle.
- Hebrews 5:7
Through
Nehemiah 1:6let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that…
it leads to
- Daniel 9:20
While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and that of my people Israel, and presenting my petition before the LORD my God concerning His holy mountain—
- Daniel 9:4
And I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed, “O, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments,
- Daniel 9:20
Through
Psalms 72:12For he will deliver the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper.
it leads to
- Job 29:12
because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
- Revelation 3:17–18
You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
- Psalms 10:17
You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear,
- Job 29:12
Through
Psalms 9:18For the needy will not always be forgotten; nor the hope of the oppressed forever dashed.
it leads to
- Psalms 12:5
“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”
- Psalms 12:5
About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 102; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1141: “Good News for the Destitute” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 4; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).