Psalms 102:23
Psalms 102:23 in Multiple Translations
He has broken my strength on the way; He has cut short my days.
He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days.
He has taken my strength from me in the way; he has made short my days.
But as for me, he broke my health while I was still young, cutting my life short.
He abated my strength in the way, and shortened my dayes.
He hath humbled in the way my power, He hath shortened my days.
He weakened my strength along the course. He shortened my days.
He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
But now you have caused me to become weak while I am still young; I think that I will ◄not live much longer/ very long/soon die►.
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 102:23
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Psalms 102:23 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
בְּ/הִקָּבֵ֣ץ
עַמִּ֣ים
יַחְדָּ֑ו
וּ֝/מַמְלָכ֗וֹת
לַ/עֲבֹ֥ד
אֶת
יְהוָֽה
בְּ/הִקָּבֵ֣ץ
qâbats
H6908
to gather
Prep | V-Niphal-Inf-a
עַמִּ֣ים
ʻam
H5971
Amaw
N-mp
יַחְדָּ֑ו
yachad
H3162
unitedness
Adv
וּ֝/מַמְלָכ֗וֹת
mamlâkâh
H4467
kingdom
Conj | N-fp
לַ/עֲבֹ֥ד
ʻâbad
H5647
to serve
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
DirObjM
יְהוָֽה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
The Lord
N-proper
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 102:23
בְּ/הִקָּבֵ֣ץ
qâbats
H6908
"to gather"
Prep | V-Niphal-Inf-a
To gather or collect people or things, like when the Israelites assembled in the book of Numbers. It's about bringing things or people together in one place.
Definition: 1) to gather, assemble 1a) (Qal) to gather, collect, assemble 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to assemble, gather 1b2) to be gathered 1c) (Piel) to gather, gather together, take away 1d) (Pual) to be gathered together 1e) (Hithpael) to gather together, be gathered together
Usage: Occurs in 121 OT verses. KJV: assemble (selves), gather (bring) (together, selves together, up), heap, resort, [idiom] surely, take up. See also: Genesis 41:35; Proverbs 28:8; Psalms 41:7.
עַמִּ֣ים
ʻam
H5971
"Amaw"
N-mp
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Definition: This name means nation, people
Usage: Occurs in 1655 OT verses. KJV: folk, men, nation, people. See also: Genesis 11:6; Exodus 16:4; Leviticus 17:9.
יַחְדָּ֑ו
yachad
H3162
"unitedness"
Adv
This adverb means together, describing people doing something in unity, like in Psalm 133:1.
Definition: 1) union, unitedness
Usage: Occurs in 139 OT verses. KJV: alike, at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-) together, withal. See also: Genesis 13:6; Psalms 62:10; Psalms 2:2.
וּ֝/מַמְלָכ֗וֹת
mamlâkâh
H4467
"kingdom"
Conj | N-fp
This word refers to a kingdom or dominion, describing a ruler's power or territory. In the Bible, it is used to describe the kingdoms of Israel and other nations, as well as God's sovereignty. It emphasizes a ruler's authority and control.
Definition: 1) kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty 1a) kingdom, realm 1b) sovereignty, dominion 1c) reign
Usage: Occurs in 113 OT verses. KJV: kingdom, king's, reign, royal. See also: Genesis 10:10; 2 Chronicles 22:9; Psalms 46:7.
לַ/עֲבֹ֥ד
ʻâbad
H5647
"to serve"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
To serve or work is the meaning of this verb, which can also imply slavery or bondage, as seen in the story of the Israelites in Egypt. It is used to describe various types of work or service, including serving God or other people. The word has different forms and meanings in different contexts.
Definition: : serve[someone] 1) to work, serve 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to labour, work, do work 1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour 1a3) to serve as subjects 1a4) to serve (God) 1a5) to serve (with Levitical service) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land) 1b2) to make oneself a servant 1c) (Pual) to be worked 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve 1d2) to cause to serve as subjects 1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve
Usage: Occurs in 262 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, [phrase] husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er), transgress (from margin), (set a) work, be wrought, worshipper, See also: Genesis 2:5; Deuteronomy 28:14; Psalms 2:11.
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
DirObjM
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
יְהוָֽה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
"The Lord"
N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
Study Notes — Psalms 102:23
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 102:23 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 102:23
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 102:23
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 102:23
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 102:23
- Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 102:23
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 102:23
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 102:23
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 102:23
- Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 102:23
- Sermons on Psalms 102:23
Context — The Prayer of the Afflicted
21that they may proclaim the name of the LORD in Zion and praise Him in Jerusalem,
22when peoples and kingdoms assemble to serve the LORD.
23He has broken my strength on the way; He has cut short my days.
24I say: “O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days! Your years go on through all generations. 25In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 89:38–47 | Now, however, You have spurned and rejected him; You are enraged by Your anointed one. You have renounced the covenant with Your servant and sullied his crown in the dust. You have broken down all his walls; You have reduced his strongholds to rubble. All who pass by plunder him; he has become a reproach to his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his foes; You have made all his enemies rejoice. You have bent the edge of his sword and have not sustained him in battle. You have ended his splendor and cast his throne to the ground. You have cut short the days of his youth; You have covered him with shame. Selah How long, O LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath keep burning like fire? Remember the briefness of my lifespan! For what futility You have created all men! |
| 2 | 1 Timothy 4:1–3 | Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. |
| 3 | 2 Thessalonians 2:3–12 | Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed. He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that I told you these things while I was still with you? And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now restrains it will continue until he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival. The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness. |
| 4 | Job 21:21 | For what does he care about his household after him, when the number of his months has run out? |
| 5 | 2 Timothy 3:1–17 | But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these! They are the kind who worm their way into households and captivate vulnerable women who are weighed down with sins and led astray by various passions, who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith. But they will not advance much further. For just like Jannes and Jambres, their folly will be plain to everyone. You, however, have observed my teaching, my conduct, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my perseverance, my persecutions, and the sufferings that came upon me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them. From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. |
| 6 | Revelation 11:2–19 | But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouths and devours their enemies. In this way, anyone who wants to harm them must be killed. These witnesses have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophecy, and power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish. When the two witnesses have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will wage war with them, and will overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city—figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where their Lord was also crucified. For three and a half days all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will view their bodies and will not permit them to be laid in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth will gloat over them, and will celebrate and send one another gifts, because these two prophets had tormented them. But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them. And the witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them. And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe has passed. Behold, the third woe is coming shortly. Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: “We give thanks to You, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your name, both small and great— and to destroy those who destroy the earth.” Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. And there were flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a great hailstorm. |
| 7 | Revelation 12:13–17 | And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. Then from the mouth of the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent. But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that had poured from the dragon’s mouth. And the dragon was enraged at the woman, and went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. |
Psalms 102:23 Summary
This verse is saying that the Psalmist feels like God has made them weak and is shortening their life. But even in that feeling, the Psalmist is trusting in God's sovereignty and goodness, knowing that He is in control of all things, as seen in Jeremiah 29:11. It's a reminder that even when we feel weak or struggling, God is still with us and has a plan for our lives (Romans 8:28). We can trust in His love and goodness, even when we don't understand what's happening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for God to 'break my strength on the way'?
This phrase suggests that the Psalmist is feeling weak and helpless, possibly due to illness or hardship, and is acknowledging that God is sovereign over all aspects of life, including our physical bodies, as seen in Psalms 103:14 where it says 'He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.'
Is the Psalmist saying that God is cutting their life short unfairly?
While it may seem that way, the Psalmist is actually expressing trust in God's sovereignty, recognizing that God's ways are not our ways, as stated in Isaiah 55:9, and that His plan for our lives is perfect, even if it doesn't make sense to us.
How can I apply this verse to my life when I'm feeling weak or struggling with illness?
This verse reminds us that even in our weakness, God is still in control, and we can trust in His goodness and love for us, as seen in Romans 8:28, which says that 'all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.'
What is the relationship between this verse and the surrounding context?
This verse is a personal lament, but it is set in the context of a larger vision of God's kingdom and the gathering of nations to worship Him, as seen in Psalms 102:21-22, which reminds us that even in our personal struggles, we are part of a larger story of God's redemption and glory.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways in which I am feeling 'broken' or weak right now, and how can I trust God with those struggles?
- How does this verse challenge or comfort me in my understanding of God's sovereignty over my life?
- In what ways can I 'proclaim the name of the LORD' and 'praise Him' even in the midst of weakness or hardship, as seen in Psalms 102:21-22?
- What does this verse teach me about the importance of trusting in God's goodness and love, even when I don't understand what He is doing?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 102:23
He weakened my strength in the way,.... The psalmist here returns to his complaint of his afflictions, weakness, and frailty, which ended Psalms 102:11, after which some hints are given of the latter
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 102:23
This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 102:23
He, to wit, God, to whom he ascribes these calamities, ; to whom therefore he addresseth himself for relief. In the way; either, 1. In the midst of our expectations. Whilst we are expecting the accomplishment of thy promise, either of bringing us out of Babylon, or of sending the Messias, we faint, and one of us perish after another, and our hope is like the giving up of the ghost. Or rather, 2. In the midst of the course of our lives; which sense is confirmed, 1. From the following clause; which, after the manner, explains the former, he shortened my days; as also from the next verse, where he begs relief from God against this misery in these words, take me not away in the midst of my days. 2. From the use of this word way, which is used for the course of a man’ s life, , and (which comes to the same thing) for the course of a journey, as it is opposed to the end of the journey, , and elsewhere; the life of man being oft compared to a journeying or travelling, and death to his journey’ s end. And the psalmist here speaks (as other sacred writers do elsewhere, and as all sorts of writers frequently do) of the whole commonwealth as of one man, and of its continuance as of the life of one man. And so this seems to be the matter of his complaint and humble expostulation with God: O Lord, thou didst choose us out of all the world to be thy peculiar people, and didst plant us in Canaan, and cause a glorious temple to be built to thy name, to be the only place of thy public and solemn worship in the world, and didst make great and glorious promises, that thine eyes and heart should be upon it perpetually, , and that thy people should be planted in thy land, so as not to be moved any more or afflicted, as they had been in the days of the judges, ,11; from whence we promised to ourselves a long and settled prosperity.
But, alas, how soon were our hopes blasted! not long after the beginning of our settlement, in Rehoboam’ s time, and so successively in the course of our affairs under the following kings, till at last thou didst give us up to ruin and desolation, as at this day. And this he doth not allege to accuse God, or excuse himself or his people, but only that he might move the Divine Majesty to show them some pity, considering the shortness of their days, and his own eternity, as he pursues the argument in the following verses. My days; the days of my life, or of my prosperous state, as above, ; for adversity is a kind of death, and is frequently so called.
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 102:23
Psalms 102:23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.Ver. 23. He weakened my strength in the way] This is the complaint of the poor captives yet undelivered, In via, hoc est in vita, quia hic sumus viatores, in coelo comprehensores, here we are but on our way to heaven, and we meet with many discouragements. He shortened my days] viz. According to my account; for otherwise in respect of God our days are numbered. Stat sua cuique dies.
Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 102:23
(23) In the way—i.e., in the course of life. Others render, “by reason of the way,” but the meaning is the same. The clause is exactly parallel to “shortened my days.”
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 102:23
Verse 23. He weakened my strength in the way] We are brought so low in our captivity by oppression, by every species of hard usage, and by death, that there is now no hope of our restoration by any efforts of our own.
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 102:23
23–28. From the contemplation of the glorious future the Psalmist returns to the present, and takes up the thought of Psa 102:11.
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 102:23
He weakened my strength in the way - Margin, as in Hebrew, “afflicted.” The idea is, that God had taken his strength away; he had weakened him - humbled him - brought him low by sorrow.
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 102:23
23. He weakened my strength in the way—The psalmist returns to a brief reminiscence of his affliction and the agony of his prayer, but in a more hopeful strain than in his complaint, Psalms 102:1-11.
Sermons on Psalms 102:23
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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When the Walls Come Down by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher reflects on what more God can do for his vineyard and his people. He emphasizes that God has already done everything possible to bring ministers and bl |
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The Prayer for Revival (Psalm 89) by Maurice Roberts | Maurice Roberts emphasizes the weakness in prayer in modern times, attributing it to the neglect of Scripture, resulting in prayers falling short of biblical standards. He highligh |
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Deliverance - Part 1 by Derek Prince | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of listening to him as the first step to becoming a true overcomer. He then advises his audience to sell their possessions an |
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How to Identify the Enemy - Part 2 by Derek Prince | In this sermon, the speaker discusses how demons can enter a person's life and influence their behavior. He gives an example of a businessman who has a terrible day and how his ang |
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(1 Peter - Part 7): The Appearing of Jesus Christ by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of appearance and manifestation. He uses the example of a soldier returning home to his wife and children, emphasizing the antici |
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Beware of Good Liars by Francis Chan | This sermon challenges believers to examine their beliefs and mindset, urging them to align their thinking with biblical truths rather than cultural norms. It emphasizes the import |
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(Basics) 13. Religiosity and Spirituality by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of understanding the difference between religious form and spiritual power. He refers to 2 Timothy 3:5, which warns about peo |