Psalms 102:16-18
God Takes Care of Zion
The Messiah, after describing the affliction in which He finds Himself and the suffering He bears, turns to the “LORD” (Psa 102:12). The word “but” with which this verse begins indicates that a contrast with the preceding follows. The Messiah suffers, but not forever because He knows that the LORD abides forever and with it His faithfulness to what He has promised. The name “LORD”, Yahweh, by which He addresses God, already indicates this. After all, LORD is the name of God as the God of the covenant. The remembrance of that Name goes “to all generations” (cf. Psa 100:5; Psa 22:30; Psa 78:3-7).In Psa 102:12 the emphasis is on the fact that the faithfulness of the LORD is everlasting. He is LORD, the I AM, or the eternal Being, He is the same yesterday and today and forever. Therefore, His lovingkindness toward His people is unchanging. But … how is this compatible with the condition of the psalmist in Psa 102:1-11? We find the answer in Psa 102:13. Now the LORD “will arise” and “have compassion on Zion”. He will arise and go and act, and that for the sake of the remembrance of His Name. In all affliction, this is the assurance of faith in the LORD. He will intervene on behalf of His people and His city. He will do so when His judgments have the result He desires. The LORD has set a time to bring Israel back, a time to restore Israel and Zion (Dan 9:24). The latter begins with the command to restore (the walls of) Jerusalem (Dan 9:25; Neh 2:1-6). When God’s time has come, He will have compassion on Zion. The people have deserved total judgment, but He preserves a remnant according to the election of His grace. At the appointed time, He will accept His people again. Faith sees that ahead.God will do a work in His servants. He will give love in their hearts for “her stones”, indicating that Zion is broken down (Psa 102:14). He will fill them with feeling pity “for her dust”, indicating how much Zion is in ruins. The word for “feel pity” in Psa 102:14 is the same as “have compassion” in Psa 102:13. As the LORD is gracious to Zion, so the remnant is to the dust and stones of Zion. We see a foreshadowing of this in people like Ezra and Nehemiah who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon full of love and compassion for Zion. In the end time, it will happen through the faithful remnant. We may well ask ourselves about our love and compassion for the church of God which is also a mess. Do we long to rebuild what lies in ruins? We can do that by helping everywhere with God’s Word where people long to be a local church as God has made known in His Word. To the remnant, as well as to us, it is said: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psa 122:6), which is the dwelling place of God in the midst of His earthly people. We may pray that for what is now God’s dwelling place on earth, God’s heavenly people, His church.When Zion is rebuilt, the nations surrounding Israel will “fear the name of the LORD” (Psa 102:15). The rebuilding of Zion is proof that God is not against His people, but for them. The nations have spoken against God’s people defamatory of Him as a powerless God (2Chr 32:9-17; Neh 4:2). At the time appointed by God, they will see that He is for His people and therefore be in awe of Him.The LORD is building Zion, though He uses His servants to do so (Psa 102:16; cf. Psa 127:1). When He has rebuilt Zion, which now lies in ruins, He will appear “in His glory”. He will dwell in Zion in the midst of His people. From there, His glory will be seen all over the earth. He will do His restorative work in response to “the prayer of the destitute”, showing that He has “not despised their prayer” (Psa 102:17). “The destitute” or “naked” are those who have lost all their dignity and have a very low opinion of themselves. They are “the poor in spirit” (Mt 5:3) and therefore the opposite of the spirit of Laodicea (Rev 3:17). The Lord Jesus is the true “poor in spirit” (cf. Psa 109:22; 25). He never sought His own glory, but always that of His God. The believing remnant exhibits His attributes. How much has been prayed for the restoration of Zion throughout the ages. This applies above all to the Messiah. Following Him, it is also true of the faithful remnant – whom God has always kept to Himself throughout the ages – in the future (Zep 3:12-13).Assurance of Restoration of Zion
In these verses, in answer to the prayer of the destitute remnant (Psa 102:17; 20), the Holy Spirit gives a description of the restoration of Zion, that is Jerusalem, under the reign of the Messiah. The LORD will restore the dignity of the remnant and of Zion. This is “written for the generation to come” (Psa 102:18). This description is fixed. Each succeeding generation can read here God’s plan for the future of Jerusalem. It will culminate in a people “to be created”. That people will “praise the LORD”. God is working restoration and He is creating a people who will enjoy the blessings of this restoration.The word “for” with which Psa 102:19 begins indicates that the reason for what was said in the previous verse now follows. He has “looked down from His holy height” (cf. Deu 26:15; Isa 57:15; Isa 63:15). He is exalted high above the earth and in His holiness also perfectly separated from the sin that is rampant there. Yet He has always been involved in what goes on on earth and especially in what is done to His people. He has gazed “from heaven … upon the earth” (cf. Psa 113:5-6).In heaven He has heard “the groaning of the prisoner” (Psa 102:20; cf. Exo 2:23-25; Exo 3:7-8). His purpose is “to set free those who were doomed to death”. Death is a prison. In it, not only Israel is imprisoned, but all people are imprisoned in it. In this prison are people who are condemned to die. From that prison only Christ can deliver. He is stronger than death and the devil who has the power of death (Heb 2:14-15).Through what He will do with His people, the believing remnant, people “will tell of the name of the LORD in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem” (Psa 102:21). Every work of restoration, whether in Israel or, in our day, in an individual believer or a local church, has as its goal that God is given thanks and praised. Those who have been brought into connection with God and Christ are living proof of the power of God to turn things around for the better. From that comes a testimony, which works praise for God in the place where He dwells. When the Lord Jesus reigns, “the peoples are gathered together” to tell Him His praise (Psa 102:22). “The kingdoms” will come “to serve the LORD”. Everything and everyone will be subject to Him and serve Him joyfully (Isa 2:3).
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