The Meaning of Psalms 102:17 Explained

Psalms 102:17

KJV: He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

YLT: He turned unto the prayer of the destitute, And He hath not despised their prayer.

Darby: He will regard the prayer of the destitute one, and not despise their prayer.

ASV: He hath regarded the prayer of the destitute, And hath not despised their prayer.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He will regard  the prayer  of the destitute,  and not despise  their prayer. 

What does Psalms 102:17 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 102:17 mean?

He shall regard to the prayer of the destitute and not shall despise - their prayer
פָּ֭נָה אֶל־ תְּפִלַּ֣ת הָעַרְעָ֑ר וְלֹֽא־ בָ֝זָ֗ה אֶת־ תְּפִלָּתָֽם

פָּ֭נָה  He  shall  regard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פֹּונֶה 
Sense: to turn.
תְּפִלַּ֣ת  the  prayer 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תְּפִלָּה  
Sense: prayer.
הָעַרְעָ֑ר  of  the  destitute 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַרְעָר  
Sense: stripped, destitute.
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
בָ֝זָ֗ה  shall  despise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּזָה 
Sense: to despise, hold in contempt, disdain.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
תְּפִלָּתָֽם  their  prayer 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: תְּפִלָּה  
Sense: prayer.