Psalm 102:25-27

New King James Version

Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
They will perish, but You will endure;
Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;
Like a cloak You will change them,
And they will be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will have no end.

For Your Encouragement

The best way for the believer to clear the fog of worldliness and its hardships is to maintain an eternal perspective in every situation (Colossians 3:1-2). Everything in this world is temporal. They are here today and gone tomorrow. They serve their purpose and dance off the stage. We behold their glitter and allow the pride of their beauty to adorn us. They grab our affections and send us to Wonderland, dulling our sensitivity to the only reality in life – God!

There could be no better portrait of the individual with an earthly perspective than the emptiness of Solomon in his Ecclesiastical experiences. The refrain of his disappointment could aptly refresh our minds. 

“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless! (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

The Psalmist reflects on this truth in his lament before the Lord when he was afflicted. Bereft of strength, he turns to God in Psalm 102 and pours his heart in a plea for the favorable countenance of God (1-2).

As he calls for divine help, he acknowledges the brevity of his life, the physical distress and pain in his ordeal, the taunts of his enemies, and the discomfort of desertion as he wastes away like grass (3-11). 

The gloomy picture he paints characterizes our human depravity and sorrow. Yet there is life beyond the dark shadows around us, and he draws a sharp and refreshing contrast between the two. He settles in his heart that God is sovereign and eternal (12). 

The fog is clearing for the Psalmist, and the visibility brings hope. Despite the suffering of the Israelites in exile, God will arise and have compassion on Jerusalem, His chosen city. He will rebuild its ruins when He returns to her in Babylonian. God will respond to the cry of His afflicted people, destitute and broken in exile (13-17).

The invigorating lesson is that the Lord takes His children through the conflicting experiences of this world so that they may remember how, with eagle eyes, He observes their suffering and groaning. Then filled with compassion for them, He stoops down to rescue them. 

That, my friend, is our testimony to raise as a memorial to guide and instruct future generations, that they may praise His glorious name. In His Millennial rule, all the people from distant nations will assemble to worship Him (18-22). 

As the Psalmist cries out to the Lord for restoration and sustenance, he affirms the eternality of God and the destruction of everything He has created (23-27; 2 Peter 3:10). 

Let us declare with the Psalmist that God laid the earth’s foundation and crafted the heavens with precision and beauty. Let us remember that they will perish, but He will remain. Just as garments wear out and clothing gets changed and ultimately discarded, God will destroy everything. Only He alone remains unchangeable (25-27). Hallelujah! 

So, are you afflicted in any way? Know that God is merciful and kind. He will deliver you from all your troubles (Psalm 34:19). Your suffering is temporal and will pass. Look to Jesus and His redeeming love (Hebrews 12:2), for He alone is unchanging. Have faith in Him and maintain a holy attitude in your life. Rejoice in the Holy Spirit and let godliness dress you for the coming glory of our Redeemer King – Jesus Messiah. Amen!