King James Version

What Does Psalms 102:26 Mean?

Psalms 102:26 in the King James Version says “They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change ...” — study this verse from Psalms chapter 102 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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: endure: Heb. stand”

Psalms 102:26 · KJV

Salvation

Context

24

I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.

25

Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

26

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: endure: Heb. stand

27

But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

28

The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
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: This verse develops the contrast between creation's temporality and Creator's eternality introduced in verse 25. "They shall perish" (hemah yovedu, הֵמָּה יֹאבֵדוּ) uses abad (אָבַד), meaning to perish, be destroyed, or cease to exist. Even the seemingly permanent heavens and earth are temporary, destined for dissolution.

"But thou shalt endure" (v'attah ta'amod, וְאַתָּה תַעֲמֹד) again provides emphatic contrast. Amad (עָמַד) means to stand, remain, endure—suggesting stability and permanence. While creation crumbles, God stands unmoved and unaffected by temporal decay. The contrast isn't just duration (God outlasts creation) but ontology (God's being is fundamentally different from contingent created beings).

"All of them shall wax old like a garment" (v'khulam k'beged yivlu, וְכֻלָּם כַּבֶּגֶד יִבְלוּ) introduces the garment metaphor. Balah (בָּלָה) means to wear out, become worn, decay through use. Even the heavens, despite their vastness and glory, will deteriorate like clothing subjected to repeated wearing. What seems most durable will eventually wear thin and fail.

"As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed" (ka-l'vush tachalifem v'yachalof u, כַּלְּבוּשׁ תַּחֲלִיפֵם וְיַחֲלֹפוּ) depicts God changing creation like someone changing clothes. Chalaph (חָלַף) means to change, replace, renew. This suggests not only creation's end but also God's sovereign control over cosmic destiny—He will replace the current order with something new.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The concept of creation's impermanence wasn't prominent in ancient Near Eastern thought, where cosmic order was typically viewed as eternal. The Babylonian creation epic Enuma Elish establishes the world order perpetually, with no suggestion of dissolution. Israel's prophetic tradition, however, envisions creation's renewal or replacement (Isaiah 65:17, 66:22).

Peter explicitly references this psalm when describing the future cosmic dissolution: 'The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up' (2 Peter 3:10). He then asks the decisive question: 'Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?' (2 Peter 3:11).

Hebrews 1:10-12 quotes Psalm 102:25-27 word-for-word from the Septuagint and applies it to Jesus Christ, demonstrating His deity and eternality. The Son who created all things will outlast them and ultimately renew them. Revelation 21:1-5 describes the fulfillment: 'And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away...And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.'

Modern physics confirms creation's temporality through the Second Law of Thermodynamics (entropy increases, leading to eventual 'heat death') and cosmological projections of the universe's far future. What seemed most permanent—stars, galaxies, cosmic structure—will eventually cease. Only the Creator transcends thermodynamics.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the promise of creation's eventual replacement ('new heavens and new earth,' Revelation 21:1) affect stewardship responsibilities toward the current creation?
  2. What comfort does this verse offer when facing personal, national, or global crises that seem overwhelming?
  3. How should recognizing that even cosmic realities are temporary influence attachments to material possessions, earthly achievements, or temporal security?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 10 words
הֵ֤מָּה׀1 of 10
H1992

they (only used when emphatic)

יֹאבֵדוּ֮2 of 10

“They shall perish”

H6

properly, to wander away, i.e., lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy)

וְאַתָּ֪ה3 of 10
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

תַ֫עֲמֹ֥ד4 of 10

“but thou shalt endure”

H5975

to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)

וְ֭כֻלָּם5 of 10
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

כַּבֶּ֣גֶד6 of 10

“like a garment”

H899

a covering, i.e., clothing

יִבְל֑וּ7 of 10

“yea all of them shall wax old”

H1086

to fail; by implication to wear out, decay (causatively, consume, spend)

כַּלְּב֖וּשׁ8 of 10

“as a vesture”

H3830

a garment (literally or figuratively); by implication (euphemistically) a wife

וְֽיַחֲלֹֽפוּ׃9 of 10

“shalt thou change”

H2498

properly, to slide by, i.e., (by implication) to hasten away, pass on, spring up, pierce or change

וְֽיַחֲלֹֽפוּ׃10 of 10

“shalt thou change”

H2498

properly, to slide by, i.e., (by implication) to hasten away, pass on, spring up, pierce or change

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Psalms. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Psalms 102:26 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Psalms 102:26 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isaiah 51:6Matthew 24:35Luke 21:33Isaiah 34:4Revelation 20:11Isaiah 66:22

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