Psalms 102:14

14 For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity.

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Psalms 102:14 in Other Translations

KJV

14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.

ESV

14 For your servants hold her stones dear and have pity on her dust.

NLT

14 For your people love every stone in her walls and cherish even the dust in her streets.

MSG

14 Oh, how your servants love this city's rubble and weep with compassion over its dust!

CSB

14 For Your servants take delight in its stones and favor its dust.

Psalms 102:14 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 102:14

For thy servants take pleasure in her stones
Meaning not Cyrus and Darius, who gave leave and orders for the rebuilding of the city and temple of Jerusalem, as some; nor Nehemiah, and Ezra, and others, who took more pleasure in the stones and rubbish of the temple, as it lay in ruins, than in all the stately palaces in Babylon; and who were very desirous of, and took delight in gathering these stones, and putting them together again, as others; but, the ministers of the Gospel, and other Christians, in the latter day, who will take pleasure in the great number of converts that there will then be, who, as lively stones, will be built up a spiritual house; and especially when those stones shall be laid with fair colours, and the headstone shall be brought in with acclamations, crying, Grace, grace unto it; see ( 1 Peter 2:5 ) ( Isaiah 54:12 ) ( Zechariah 4:7 ) .

and favour the dust thereof;
which sometimes designs multitudes, ( Numbers 23:10 ) , perhaps here it may denote the meanest of the Lord's people, who will be regarded, and not despised by his servants; but they will show favour to them, do them all the good they can, and wish well to them, and pray for their prosperity, and for the peace of Zion; that God would make it the joy of the whole earth; and when there shall be such a delight in the stones and dust of Zion, and a spirit of grace and supplication poured forth upon the servants of the Lord, to pray for the promised glory and happiness of it, it will be a token for good, and an intimation that the set time to favour her is at hand; which seems to be the sense of the psalmist: such great reverence and respect have the greatest of the wise men among the Jews for the land of Israel, literally understood, that they kiss the borders, the stones of it, and roll themselves in its dust ^F1, having perhaps in mind this passage of Scripture.

FOOTNOTES:

F1 Maimon. Hilchot Melachim, c. 5. s. 10.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible