The Meaning of Psalms 102:12 Explained

Psalms 102:12

KJV: But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.

YLT: And Thou, O Jehovah, to the age abidest, And Thy memorial to all generations.

Darby: But thou, Jehovah, abidest for ever, and thy memorial from generation to generation.

ASV: But thou, O Jehovah, wilt abide for ever; And thy memorial name unto all generations.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But thou, O LORD,  shalt endure  for ever;  and thy remembrance  unto all  generations. 

What does Psalms 102:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 102:12-28 - The Time To Have Mercy Upon Zion
We must remember that the Holy Spirit appropriates the closing words of this psalm as addressed to our Lord. See Hebrews 1:10-12. This gives new point to these petitions. The psalmist's sorrows, described in the previous paragraph, had their source in the desolations of Zion rather than in personal afflictions; and when the soul feels such oppression, it is a sign that deliverance is near. Finney, the great evangelist, tells of a woman who came to her pastor under such concern for the perishing that she could neither eat nor sleep. She entreated him to appoint an inquirers' meeting, and though there had been no signs of a revival, it suddenly broke out. When Christians take pity on the stones and dust of the Church, the time has come for God to arise to her help.
Behold the unchanging Christ! Creation may wax old, the heavens and earth may be laid aside as an outworn garment, the old order may give place to new; but beneath all the changed Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. How delightful are those immortal words, But thou, O Lord, shalt endure, and if He endures, His servants shall continue also, and their children after them. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 102

1  The prophet in his prayer makes a grievous complaint
12  He takes comfort in the eternity, and mercy of God
18  The mercies of God are to be recorded
23  He sustains his weakness by the unchangeableness of God

What do the individual words in Psalms 102:12 mean?

But You Yahweh forever shall endure and the remembrance of Your [name] to and all generations
וְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם תֵּשֵׁ֑ב וְ֝זִכְרְךָ֗ לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹֽר

וְאַתָּ֣ה  But  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
יְ֭הוָה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְעוֹלָ֣ם  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
תֵּשֵׁ֑ב  shall  endure 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
וְ֝זִכְרְךָ֗  and  the  remembrance  of  Your  [name] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זֵכֶר 
Sense: memorial, remembrance.
וָדֹֽר  and  all  generations 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.