What is the meaning of Psalm 102:5? Through my loud groaning • The psalmist gives voice to deep distress: “Through my loud groaning…” (Psalm 102:5). • This is more than a silent sigh; it is a continuous, audible cry that reflects anguish of soul. – Similar expressions appear in Psalm 22:1-2, where David laments, “I cry out by day… but You do not answer.” – Lamentations 3:56 records Jeremiah pleading, “You heard my plea: ‘Do not ignore my cry for relief.’” • Such groaning acknowledges God as the only One who can hear and act, illustrating genuine dependence (Psalm 34:17; Romans 8:26). • It also invites the Lord to draw near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18), affirming that honest lament is a pathway to hope (Psalm 42:11). my skin hangs on my bones • The result of prolonged sorrow is physical deterioration: “my skin hangs on my bones” (Psalm 102:5). • The wording pictures extreme weight loss—emaciation that often accompanies grief, prolonged fasting, or illness. – Job 19:20 echoes this: “My skin and flesh cling to my bones.” – In Psalm 32:3-4, David speaks of unconfessed sin draining his strength “as in the heat of summer.” • Scripture consistently links spiritual or emotional agony with tangible bodily effects (Proverbs 17:22; 2 Corinthians 1:8-9). • By admitting visible weakness, the psalmist underscores that human strength fails but God’s mercy endures (Isaiah 40:29-31). summary Psalm 102:5 describes the psalmist’s heartache so intense that it spills out in constant cries and carves visible hollows in his body. His loud groaning signals utter dependence on God, while his wasted frame testifies to the cost of enduring sorrow. Together these phrases invite believers to bring every pain to the Lord, confident that He hears, sustains, and ultimately restores those who trust Him. |
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