Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
Psalms 102:1-28 -Hear my cry for my trouble needs immediate relief (Psalms 102:1-5); I am like a lonely bird, my being cast down after having been lifted up, aggravates my pain (Psalms 102:6-10); consolation found in God's abiding character: He will arise and have mercy on Zion, whose representative David is (Psalms 102:11-14); the coming generation shall praise Him for loosing the prisoners, and the people shall be gathered at Jerusalem to serve Yahweh (Psalms 102:18-22); powerless, and with shortened days, David takes refuge in the eternal God (Psalms 102:23-27); Yahweh's seed shall be established at last, whatever trials they now endure (Psalms 102:28). On the sense of the whole trilogy, compare the notes on the title of Psalms 101:1-8. A prescient misgiving as to his children's misconduct (cf. 2 Samuel 23:5) led David to anticipate the coming distress of Zion. The Holy Spirit has made the words to apply exactly to Israel's present dispersion, her coming prayerful return to God, her restoration, and the consequent conversion of the Gentiles; both connected with Yahweh's coming in glory. The Babylonian captivity (resulting from the apostasy of David's line) and the restoration are the type. The suffering righteousness pictured applies to David's Antitype, Messiah, for whose sake, as Abraham's seed, the promises to Israel shall be fulfilled by God's mercy upon Zion at last.
Title. - A prayer - (cf. note on title of Psalms 90:1-17.) The Hebrew, Tephillah, means here a supplicatory prayer of the afflicted for help cf. the corresponding Psalms 102:17; Psalms 102:20).
When he is overwhelmed - (Psalms 70:2.)
And poureth out his complaint (Psalms 62:8) - unbosoming all one's cares, sorrows, and fears (Psalms 55:2).
Before the Lord - corresponding to "before thee" in the conclusion.
Hear my prayer - explained by "my cry," which follows (cf. Psalms 4:1; Psalms 17:1).
Let my cry come unto thee - answering to Psalms 101:2, "O when wilt thou come unto me?" (cf. Psalms 18:6.) So 'Israel's cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage' in Egypt (Exodus 2:23). So it shall be in the last days (Psalms 102:17; Psalms 102:20).