Limitless Word
You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for it is time to have pity on her. Yes, the set time has come.
Psalms 102:13 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
  • BSB You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor—the appointed time has come.
  • NKJV You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come.
  • NASB You will arise and have compassion on Zion; For it is time to be gracious to her, For the appointed time has come.
  • NLT You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem— and now is the time to pity her, now is the time you promised to help.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

God will arise and have mercy on Zion, for the appointed time has come. Hope rests on God's sure timing to restore His people.

Overview

The psalmist trusts that God will act in compassion toward Zion at the set time He has ordained. Personal lament gives way to confidence in God's faithful purposes for His people. This anticipates God's saving work in Christ, through whom He shows mercy and gathers His people.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 22

  • Gal 4:4But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,
  • Isa 40:2“Speak comfortably to Jerusalem; and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of Yahweh’s hand double for all her sins.”
  • Isa 60:1“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and Yahweh’s glory has risen on you.
  • Ps 44:26Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.
  • Zech 2:10–12Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion; for, behold, I come, and I will dwell within you,’ says Yahweh.
  • Ps 69:35–36For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah. They shall settle there, and own it.
  • 2 Pet 3:8But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
  • Isa 60:10–14“Foreigners will build up your walls, and their kings will serve you: for in my wrath I struck you, but in my favor I have had mercy on you.
  • Rev 11:15–18The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!”
  • Acts 1:7He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.
  • Ezra 1:1–11Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that Yahweh’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
  • Dan 9:2–27in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years about which Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah the prophet, for the accomplishing of the desolations of Jerusalem, even seventy years.
  • Jer 31:10–12“Hear Yahweh’s word, you nations, and declare it in the islands afar off; and say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock.’
  • Dan 12:12–13Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.
  • Ps 7:6Arise, Yahweh, in your anger. Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me. You have commanded judgment.
  • 2 Pet 3:12looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
  • Ps 75:2When I choose the appointed time, I will judge blamelessly.
  • Jer 31:23Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Yet again shall they use this speech in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I shall bring again their captivity: ‘Yahweh bless you, habitation of righteousness, mountain of holiness.’
  • Dan 12:9He said, Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.
  • Zech 1:12–13Then Yahweh’s angel replied, “O Yahweh of Armies, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which you have had indignation these seventy years?”
  • Isa 14:32What will they answer the messengers of the nation? That Yahweh has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people will take refuge.
  • Ps 51:18Do well in your good pleasure to Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem.

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 102:13YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 102:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.