Psalms 102:20

To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

Psalms 102:20 (KJV)

Context

Psalm 102 is the prayer of an afflicted person who pours out a complaint before the Lord. The writer feels that life is short and full of trouble, yet he turns to God for mercy. In verse 20, the psalmist reaches the climax of his plea, expressing confidence that God looks down from heaven to hear the cries of prisoners and to set free those who are condemned to death. This verse grounds his hope in God’s character as the one who hears and rescues.

Meaning

“To hear the groaning of the prisoner” means that God listens to the painful cries of people who are bound, oppressed, or confined. This includes those in physical jail and those trapped by despair or sin. “To loose those that are appointed to death” refers to people under a sentence of death, whether by unjust human judgment or by the weight of sin. The Hebrew poetry pairs hearing with action: God’s attentive ear leads to His powerful deliverance. The deliverance is not merely physical but has a spiritual dimension, enabling the freed to declare God’s name and praise Him.

Biblical connections

This verse echoes the time when God heard the groaning of the Israelites in Egypt and remembered His covenant (Exodus 2:23-24). That pattern shows that God’s past faithfulness guarantees His present care. Also, the deliverance here is not only physical; those who are freed are enabled to declare the name of the Lord in Zion and praise Him in Jerusalem (Psalm 102:21-22). The prisoner can be understood both literally and spiritually, encompassing all who are bound by sin, oppression, or despair.

Application

As believers, we can see ourselves as prisoners to sin and death, awaiting liberation through Christ. Jesus came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18), and through His sacrifice He offers salvation and eternal life to all who believe. This verse assures us that no cry of distress is hidden from God, and His deliverance is both compassionate and powerful. The ‘appointed to death’ refers to those under a sentence of condemnation by men, not by God, and the verse affirms God’s power to overturn human judgments.

Reflection

God’s power can overturn human judgments and release those who seem hopelessly condemned. When we feel bound by sin, oppression, or fear, we can trust that God hears our groaning and acts to set us free. This truth leads us to worship and to testify of His goodness, just as the freed prisoners in the psalm are called to praise Him in Zion. No cry is hidden from God, and His deliverance leads to worship and testimony.