KJV ORIGINAL
My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
My heart is struck down and dried up like grass; I'm so overwhelmed that I forget to eat my food.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is describing deep emotional pain that's so overwhelming it affects even basic needs like eating.
📚 Historical Context
Psalm 102 is titled 'A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.' This psalm was likely written during a time of great national or personal distress, possibly during the Babylonian exile when Jerusalem lay in ruins. The imagery of withered grass was particularly meaningful in the ancient Near East, where grass could flourish briefly during rainy seasons but quickly dried up under the scorching sun.
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