The Meaning of Psalms 102:26 Explained

Psalms 102:26

KJV: They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

YLT: They -- They perish, and Thou remainest, And all of them as a garment become old, As clothing Thou changest them, And they are changed.

Darby: They shall perish, but thou continuest; and all of them shall grow old as a garment: as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed.

ASV: They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They shall perish,  but thou shalt endure:  yea, all of them shall wax old  like a garment;  as a vesture  shalt thou change  them, and they shall be changed: 

What does Psalms 102:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 102:12-28 - The Time To Have Mercy Upon Zion
We must remember that the Holy Spirit appropriates the closing words of this psalm as addressed to our Lord. See Hebrews 1:10-12. This gives new point to these petitions. The psalmist's sorrows, described in the previous paragraph, had their source in the desolations of Zion rather than in personal afflictions; and when the soul feels such oppression, it is a sign that deliverance is near. Finney, the great evangelist, tells of a woman who came to her pastor under such concern for the perishing that she could neither eat nor sleep. She entreated him to appoint an inquirers' meeting, and though there had been no signs of a revival, it suddenly broke out. When Christians take pity on the stones and dust of the Church, the time has come for God to arise to her help.
Behold the unchanging Christ! Creation may wax old, the heavens and earth may be laid aside as an outworn garment, the old order may give place to new; but beneath all the changed Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. How delightful are those immortal words, But thou, O Lord, shalt endure, and if He endures, His servants shall continue also, and their children after them. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 102

1  The prophet in his prayer makes a grievous complaint
12  He takes comfort in the eternity, and mercy of God
18  The mercies of God are to be recorded
23  He sustains his weakness by the unchangeableness of God

What do the individual words in Psalms 102:26 mean?

They will perish but You will endure and Yes all like a garment they will grow old Like a cloak You will change them and they will be changed
הֵ֤מָּה ׀ יֹאבֵדוּ֮ וְאַתָּ֪ה תַ֫עֲמֹ֥ד וְ֭כֻלָּם כַּבֶּ֣גֶד יִבְל֑וּ כַּלְּב֖וּשׁ תַּחֲלִיפֵ֣ם וְֽיַחֲלֹֽפוּ

יֹאבֵדוּ֮  will  perish 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
וְאַתָּ֪ה  but  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
תַ֫עֲמֹ֥ד  will  endure 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
וְ֭כֻלָּם  and  Yes  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
כַּבֶּ֣גֶד  like  a  garment 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
יִבְל֑וּ  they  will  grow  old 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּלָה  
Sense: to wear out, become old.
כַּלְּב֖וּשׁ  Like  a  cloak 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לָבוּשׁ 
Sense: clothing, garment, apparel, raiment.
תַּחֲלִיפֵ֣ם  You  will  change  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: חָלַף 
Sense: to pass on or away, pass through, pass by, go through, grow up, change, to go on from.
וְֽיַחֲלֹֽפוּ  and  they  will  be  changed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָלַף 
Sense: to pass on or away, pass through, pass by, go through, grow up, change, to go on from.