Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity. New Living Translation For your people love every stone in her walls and cherish even the dust in her streets. English Standard Version For your servants hold her stones dear and have pity on her dust. Berean Standard Bible For Your servants delight in her stones and take pity on her dust. King James Bible For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. New King James Version For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, And show favor to her dust. New American Standard Bible Surely Your servants take pleasure in her stones, And feel pity for her dust. NASB 1995 Surely Your servants find pleasure in her stones And feel pity for her dust. NASB 1977 Surely Thy servants find pleasure in her stones, And feel pity for her dust. Legacy Standard Bible For Your slaves find pleasure in its stones And show grace to its dust— Amplified Bible For Your servants find [melancholy] pleasure in the stones [of her ruins] And feel pity for her dust. Christian Standard Bible For your servants take delight in its stones and favor its dust. Holman Christian Standard Bible For Your servants take delight in its stones and favor its dust. American Standard Version For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, And have pity upon her dust. Contemporary English Version We, your servants, love each stone in the city, and we are sad to see them lying in the dirt. English Revised Version For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity upon her dust. GOD'S WORD® Translation Your servants value Zion's stones, and they pity its rubble. Good News Translation Your servants love her, even though she is destroyed; they have pity on her, even though she is in ruins. International Standard Version Your servants take pleasure in its stones and delight in its debris. NET Bible Indeed, your servants take delight in her stones, and feel compassion for the dust of her ruins. New Heart English Bible For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust. Webster's Bible Translation For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor the dust thereof. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleFor Your servants delight in her stones and take pity on her dust. World English Bible For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionFor Your servants have been pleased with her stones, "" And they favor her dust. Young's Literal Translation For Thy servants have been pleased with her stones, And her dust they favour. Smith's Literal Translation For thy servants delighted in her stones, and they will compassionate her dust. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleFor the stones thereof have pleased thy servants: and they shall have pity on the earth thereof. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible Its stones are dear to your servants; its dust moves them to pity. New Revised Standard Version For your servants hold its stones dear, and have pity on its dust. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor the dust thereof. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Because your Servants delight in her stones and they love her dust! OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917For Thy servants take pleasure in her stones, And love her dust. Brenton Septuagint Translation For thy servants have taken pleasure in her stones, and they shall pity her dust. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Prayer of the Afflicted…13You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor—the appointed time has come. 14For Your servants delight in her stones and take pity on her dust. 15So the nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory.… Cross References Isaiah 62:6-7 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD shall take no rest for yourselves, / nor give Him any rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth. Nehemiah 1:3-4 And they told me, “The remnant who survived the exile are there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” / When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. Daniel 9:16-19 O Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, I pray that Your anger and wrath may turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all around us. / So now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant. For Your sake, O Lord, cause Your face to shine upon Your desolate sanctuary. / Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our righteous acts, but because of Your great compassion. ... Isaiah 60:10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Although I struck you in anger, yet in favor I will show you mercy. Zechariah 1:12-17 Then the angel of the LORD said, “How long, O LORD of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been angry these seventy years?” / So the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me. / Then the angel who was speaking with me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, ... 2 Chronicles 36:19-21 Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value. / Those who escaped the sword were carried by Nebuchadnezzar into exile in Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. / So the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation, until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah. Jeremiah 33:10-11 This is what the LORD says: In this place you say is a wasteland without man or beast, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted—inhabited by neither man nor beast—there will be heard again / the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those bringing thank offerings into the house of the LORD, saying: ‘Give thanks to the LORD of Hosts, for the LORD is good; His loving devotion endures forever.’ For I will restore the land from captivity as in former times, says the LORD. Lamentations 5:18 because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes. Isaiah 64:10-11 Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wasteland and Jerusalem a desolation. / Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised You, has been burned with fire, and all that was dear to us lies in ruins. Jeremiah 30:18 This is what the LORD says: “I will restore the fortunes of Jacob’s tents and have compassion on his dwellings. And the city will be rebuilt on her own ruins, and the palace will stand in its rightful place. Matthew 23:37-39 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! / Look, your house is left to you desolate. / For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Luke 19:41-44 As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it / and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. / For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ... Romans 11:1-5 I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. / God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel: / “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”? ... Hebrews 12:22-24 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels / in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, / to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Revelation 21:2-4 I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. / And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. / ‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.” Treasury of Scripture For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor the dust thereof. Psalm 79:1,7-10 A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps… Psalm 137:5,6 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning… Ezra 1:5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. Jump to Previous Dear Dust Favor Favour Feel Find Hold Love Moves Pity Pleased Pleasure Servants Stones Surely ThereofJump to Next Dear Dust Favor Favour Feel Find Hold Love Moves Pity Pleased Pleasure Servants Stones Surely ThereofPsalm 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. For Your servants delight in her stones This phrase reflects the deep affection and reverence that God's people have for Jerusalem, often referred to as Zion. The "stones" symbolize the physical city, its walls, and its structures, which hold significant historical and spiritual importance. Jerusalem is the city where God chose to place His name (1 Kings 11:36) and where the temple was built, serving as the center of Jewish worship. The delight in her stones indicates a longing for the restoration and prosperity of Jerusalem, which has been a central theme throughout the Old Testament, especially during times of exile and destruction. This longing is echoed in other scriptures, such as Psalm 137:5-6, where the psalmist expresses a deep yearning for Jerusalem. The stones can also be seen as a type of Christ, the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20), indicating the foundational role of Jesus in the spiritual restoration of God's people. and take pity on her dust. Persons / Places / Events 1. Servants of GodRefers to the faithful followers of God who are devoted to His purposes and His people. In the context of this Psalm, they are those who care deeply for Zion and its restoration. 2. Zion A term often used to refer to Jerusalem, the city of God, and by extension, the people of Israel. It symbolizes the spiritual center of God's presence and His covenant with His people. 3. Stones and Dust These elements symbolize the physical remnants of Jerusalem, which the servants of God cherish and mourn over, reflecting their deep love and concern for the city. Teaching Points Love for God's People and PlaceJust as the servants delight in the stones of Zion, believers today are called to love and care for the Church, the body of Christ, and the community of believers. Intercession and Compassion The servants' pity on Zion's dust teaches us the importance of interceding for the restoration and well-being of God's people and His purposes on earth. Hope in Restoration The verse encourages believers to maintain hope in God's promise to restore and renew, even when circumstances seem desolate. Value in the Seemingly Insignificant The delight in stones and dust reminds us that God values what the world may overlook, and we should seek to see value in all aspects of His creation and work. Active Participation in God's Work The servants' actions reflect a call to actively participate in God's redemptive work, not just in prayer but in tangible acts of service and restoration. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Psalm 102:14?2. How does Psalm 102:14 inspire us to cherish and protect God's creation? 3. What does "take pleasure in her stones" reveal about valuing God's work? 4. How can we apply Psalm 102:14 to support our local church community? 5. Connect Psalm 102:14 with Nehemiah's rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls. What similarities exist? 6. How does valuing "dust" in Psalm 102:14 reflect our attitude toward God's promises? 7. How does Psalm 102:14 reflect God's enduring love for Zion and its significance today? 8. What historical context influenced the writing of Psalm 102:14? 9. How does Psalm 102:14 relate to the theme of restoration in the Bible? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Psalm 102? 11. If Psalm 102 is truly messianic, why are there apparent inconsistencies with New Testament interpretations of the Messiah's mission? 12. What is it still called today? 13. If Job 19:27 implies a personal, bodily resurrection, does this conflict with other Old Testament notions of the afterlife? 14. What does the Bible say about aging? What Does Psalm 102:14 Mean The servantsPsalm 102:14 begins, “For Your servants….” These “servants” are the covenant people who fear the LORD—those who obey Him and look for His promises to be fulfilled. • Psalm 113:1 calls such believers to “praise the name of the LORD.” • Psalm 69:36 says “the descendants of His servants will inherit it,” tying service to inheritance in Zion. • Isaiah 65:9 links the servants with “My chosen ones,” underscoring that genuine devotion is in view. They are not distant observers; they are personally invested in God’s purposes. delight in her stones The verse continues, “…delight in her stones….” “Her” refers to Zion, Jerusalem itself (Psalm 102:13). • Ruined stones would be the first evidence seen after Babylon’s destruction (2 Kings 25:9-10). • Nehemiah 4:2 reports scoffers mocking, “Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubble?”—yet God’s servants truly did delight in those very stones as they rebuilt. • Psalm 48:12-13 urges walking around Zion and counting her towers, showing how even architecture testifies to God’s glory. Taking pleasure in broken stones sounds odd until we remember that each block represented God’s covenant presence. Valuing the smallest fragment displayed confidence that the whole city would one day stand again. take pity on her dust The parallel line reads, “…and take pity on her dust.” Dust pictures utter desolation; after conquest, little remained but dirt and ashes. • Isaiah 52:2 tells Zion, “Shake yourself from the dust; rise up,” portraying both ruin and coming resurrection. • Lamentations 2:10 shows elders sitting “silent on the ground,” their sorrow expressed in ashes and dust. • Job 42:6 couples repentance with “dust and ashes,” the posture of humility God honors. In Psalm 102:14, the servants’ compassionate grief joins them to God’s own heart for the place He chose (1 Kings 9:3). Pity drives them to pray, work, and wait for restoration. prophetic implications for Jerusalem The next verse clarifies the hope: “For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in His glory” (Psalm 102:16). • Isaiah 62:1-2 promises Zion’s vindication “until her righteousness shines like a blazing torch.” • Zechariah 12:8 anticipates the LORD defending Jerusalem on a day still future. • Revelation 21:2 looks ahead to “the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.” Psalm 102 therefore speaks not only of the post-exilic return under Ezra and Nehemiah but also of Messiah’s ultimate reign, when the city’s stones and dust will be transformed into eternal splendor. application for today How do modern believers imitate these servants? • We treasure God’s earthly and heavenly purposes for Jerusalem, praying “May they prosper who love you” (Psalm 122:6). • We honor the church, “living stones” being built into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5), caring even for its weakest parts (1 Corinthians 12:22-25). • We grieve over spiritual desolation—in our cities, families, and cultures—while believing God can rebuild what seems beyond repair (Ephesians 2:4-7). • We invest in gospel work, confident “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29) and that every promise to Israel and to the church will stand literally fulfilled. summary Psalm 102:14 pictures faithful servants who love Zion so deeply that even its shattered stones and dusty heaps stir their affection. Their delight and pity prove their confidence in God’s unbreakable promise to rebuild Jerusalem and reveal His glory there. By sharing that heart—valuing what God values, grieving over what grieves Him, and trusting His sure restoration—we join the long line of servants whose joy rests in the certain triumph of the LORD. (14) Stones . . . dust.--This touching description of the devotion of the Jews to their ruined city is best illustrated by the actual history in Nehemiah 3, 4, and by the scenes so often described by travellers at the "wailing place" in modern Jerusalem.Verse 14. - For thy servants take pleasure in her stones (comp. Isaiah 64:10, 11; Lamentations 4:1; Nehemiah 2:13; Nehemiah 4:2). To this day the same affection is shown by Israelite pilgrims at the "Jews' Wailing Place." And favour (rather, pity) the dust thereof. The rubbish in which the stones lay (Nehemiah 4:2) seems to be intended.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Forכִּֽי־ (kî-) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction Your servants עֲ֭בָדֶיךָ (‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā) Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 5650: Slave, servant delight רָצ֣וּ (rā·ṣū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 7521: To be pleased with, to satisfy a, debt in her אֶת־ (’eṯ-) Direct object marker Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case stones אֲבָנֶ֑יהָ (’ă·ḇā·ne·hā) Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 68: A stone and וְֽאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-) Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case take pity יְחֹנֵֽנוּ׃ (yə·ḥō·nê·nū) Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 2603: To bend, stoop in kindness to an inferior, to favor, bestow, to implore on her dust. עֲפָרָ֥הּ (‘ă·p̄ā·rāh) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 6083: Dust, clay, earth, mud Links Psalm 102:14 NIVPsalm 102:14 NLT Psalm 102:14 ESV Psalm 102:14 NASB Psalm 102:14 KJV Psalm 102:14 BibleApps.com Psalm 102:14 Biblia Paralela Psalm 102:14 Chinese Bible Psalm 102:14 French Bible Psalm 102:14 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Psalm 102:14 For your servants take pleasure in her (Psalm Ps Psa.) |