He has broken my strength in midcourse; he has shortened my days.
This prayer belongs to the faithful in Babylon's captivity, when deliverance drew near. They lament their afflictions, plead for the temple's restoration, and recall God's promises to steady their hope. The prophet shaped it as a form of prayer when the seventy years were nearly finished and comfort was about to break forth.
AI summary
Commenting on Psalm 102:1-28
He weakened my strength in the way. Here the Psalmist comes down again to the mournful string, and pours forth his personal complaint. His sorrow had cast down his spirit, and even caused weakness in his bodily frame, so that he was like a pilgrim who limped along the road, and was ready to lie down and die. He shortened my days.
When the ten tribes were lost in Assyria and Judah nearly lost in Babylon, the promise seemed to fail utterly; the strength of that nation was broken in the way, and the day of the Messiah appeared cut short. Yet the psalmist cries out as we all must when sickness or early death threatens: God's hand holds our strength and time, and we must trust His love even when both are taken from us.
AI summary
Commenting on Psalm 102:23-28