Psalms 102:11
My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Psalms 102:11
My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The psalmist describes his days as a "lengthening shadow," not just fading, but growing longer as the day ends, emphasizing how close he is to vanishing into darkness. This vivid image, paired with being "withered like grass," underscores his complete decay and the imminent end of his life.
The psalmist is in deep distress, feeling abandoned by God and overwhelmed by suffering, to the point of despair about his own life and the fate of his people. He describes his days as rapidly shortening, like a shadow lengthening in the evening and about to disappear, and his body as withering away like dry grass, reflecting a profound sense of fading life and hopelessness. This lament sets the stage for a direct plea to God, highlighting the sharp contrast between his own fragility and God's eternal nature.
Understand the original words
yamay · Hebrew Noun
In the Bible, this refers to the period of one's natural life, often used metaphorically to highlight the brevity, fragility, and transience of human existence compared to the eternity of God.
tzel · Hebrew Noun
A common biblical metaphor for the fleeting, transitory, and fading nature of life, emphasizing that human existence is temporary and subject to decay.
ibesh · Hebrew Verb
To dry up, fade, or lose vitality; metaphorically used to describe human mortality and the inevitable decline of the body or strength.
The imagery of withering grass and a declining shadow powerfully conveys the sense of utter despair and fragility experienced by the people of Judah during the devastation of Jerusalem and the subsequent exile. It speaks to a moment when national existence felt extinguished, and only the eternal nature of God offered hope.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar deports Jewish nobles and skilled workers, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Judean exile and a period of national crisis and despair.
587/586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys the city and the Temple, and exiles most of the remaining population to Babylon. This is the nadir of Jewish national and religious life.
c. 597 BC - 538 BC
Period of Babylonian Exile
The Judeans live in exile in Babylon, facing hardship and questioning God's presence and promises. This era deeply shapes Jewish identity and theology.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, opening the door for the exiles' return to Judah. This marks a turning point for the Jewish people.
This passage shares the same imagery of the fading of grass and flowers, emphasizing the transient nature of human life and glory when compared to God's enduring Word.
James 1:10-11James directly echoes the psalmist's comparison of human life to withering grass, highlighting the vanity of earthly riches and pride in the face of inevitable death.
Psalms 109:23This verse uses the same 'shadow' imagery to describe life passing away, creating a powerful parallel to the psalmist's sense of imminent departure and decay.
Job 14:1-2Job laments the shortness of human life, comparing people to a fleeting shadow and a flower that quickly withers, mirroring the psalmist's feelings of frailty and decline.
pulpitPsalms 102:11: "My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass."
Verse 11. - My days are like a shadow that declineth; literally, that lengthens, as shadows do when the day declines (comp. ver. 24). The psalmist, like his nation, is old before his time; the shades of evening have come upon him, when he should have been in his midday brightness. And I am withered like grass (comp. ver. 4). The "I" here is emphatic (אני) - not only is the psalmist's heart withered, but he…
bensonPsalms 102:11: "My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass."
Psalm 102:11-12 . My days are like a shadow — Which “never continueth in one stay, but is still gliding imperceptibly on, lengthening as it goes, and at last vanisheth into darkness. The period of its existence is limited to a day at farthest. The rising sun gives it birth, and in the moment when the sun sets it is no more.” — Horne. And just so, the psalmist intimates, the hopes which they had sometimes en…
The psalmist describes his days as a "lengthening shadow," not just fading, but growing longer as the day ends, emphasizing how close he is to vanishing into darkness. This vivid image, paired with being "withered like grass," underscores his complete decay and the imminent end of his life.
The psalmist is in deep distress, feeling abandoned by God and overwhelmed by suffering, to the point of despair about his own life and the fate of his people. He describes his days as rapidly shortening, like a shadow lengthening in the evening and about to disappear, and his body as withering away like dry grass, reflecting a profound sense of fading life and hopelessness. This lament sets the stage for a direct plea to God, highlighting the sharp contrast between his own fragility and God's eternal nature.
The psalmist is in deep distress, feeling abandoned by God and overwhelmed by suffering, to the point of despair about his own life and the fate of his people. He describes his days as rapidly shortening, like a shadow lengthening in the evening and about to disappear, and his body as withering away like dry grass, reflecting a profound sense of fading life and hopelessness. This lament sets the stage for a direct plea to God, highlighting the sharp contrast between his own fragility and God's eternal nature.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Psalms 102:11 is available in the Sola app.
538 BC onwards
Return from Exile and Temple Rebuilding
Cyrus allows the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This begins the restoration period, though it is marked by challenges.
"My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass." — The psalmist describes his days as a "lengthening shadow," not just fading, but growing longer as the day ends, emphasizing how close he is to vanishing into darkness. This vivid image, paired with b…