Mazmur 102:3-4

102:3 For my days go up in smoke, ¹ 

and my bones are charred like a fireplace. ² 

102:4 My heart is parched ³  and withered like grass,

for I am unable ⁴  to eat food. ⁵ 

Mazmur 102:9-11

102:9 For I eat ashes as if they were bread, ⁶ 

and mix my drink with my tears, ⁷ 

102:10 because of your anger and raging fury.

Indeed, ⁸  you pick me up and throw me away.

102:11 My days are coming to an end, ⁹ 

and I am withered like grass.

[102:3]  ¹ tn Heb “for my days come to an end in smoke.”

[102:3]  ² tn The Hebrew noun מוֹ־קֵד (mo-qed, “fireplace”) occurs only here, in Isa 33:14 (where it refers to the fire itself), and perhaps in Lev 6:2.

[102:4]  ³ tn Heb “struck, attacked.”

[102:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “I forget.”

[102:4]  ⁵ sn I am unable to eat food. During his time of mourning, the psalmist refrained from eating. In the following verse he describes metaphorically the physical effects of fasting.

[102:9]  ⁶ sn Mourners would sometimes put ashes on their head or roll in ashes as a sign of mourning (see 2 Sam 13:19; Job 2:8; Isa 58:5).

[102:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “weeping.”

[102:10]  ⁸ tn Or “for.”

[102:11]  ⁹ tn Heb “my days [are] like an extended [or “lengthening”] shadow,” that is, like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness.