Living Stream Ministry

I. PSALM 102 BEING
A PRAYER OF AN AFFLICTED ONE

The title of Psalm 102 is "A Prayer of an afflicted one, when he is fainting and he pours out his complaint before Jehovah." This psalm is therefore an expression of the psalmist’s sentiment, with his affliction (vv. 1-5, 9-11) referring to the affliction of Christ (vv. 6-8).

II. CHRIST BEING THE KEY
THAT TURNS THE EARTH TO THE LORD

Verses 6 through 8 and 12 through 27 reveal that Christ is the key that turns the earth to the Lord and that recovers God’s title and right over the whole earth. Without Christ this cannot be accomplished.

A. Based upon His Suffering

Christ’s being the key that turns the earth to the Lord is based upon His suffering (vv. 6-8). Verse 7 says, "I lie awake, and I am like/A lone sparrow on a housetop." The "housetop" here refers to the flat roof of a Jewish house. People would often go to the housetop to pray. Peter did this in Acts 10:9. Since Psalm 102:7 refers to Christ, this verse indicates that when the Lord Jesus was on earth, probably there were times when in the night He, like a lone sparrow on a housetop, would watch and pray, caring for God’s interest. This was also the situation of the writer of this psalm. Because of the devastation of Zion, he could not sleep nor stay in bed. Instead, he went to the housetop where he poured out his complaint to God, asking Him to look upon Zion, the city, and the temple.

Psalm 102:7 is a particular verse concerning Christ’s suffering, His affliction. His affliction was related to His zeal for God’s house (John 2:17; Psa. 69:9). In His suffering Christ was a watcher, caring not for His own interest but for the interest of God’s house. Thus, He likened Himself to a lone sparrow on the roof of a house. As He was watching for God’s interest, He was like a lone sparrow on a housetop. This was an aspect of Christ’s suffering.

As we have pointed out, Christ’s suffering was for the producing of the church. Today’s Christians realize that Christ’s suffering, which consummated in His death, was for redemption, but very few realize that His suffering was also for the producing of the church. We need to see that Christ’s death was for redemption to produce the church.

(Life-Study of Psalms, Chapter 37, by Witness Lee)