Psalms 102:6–7
The psalmist feels like a lonely bird on the roof
Study it word by word6I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I have become like an owl of the ruins.
7I keep watch, and I am like a bird alone on the roof.
In its context
4Struck down like grass and withered is my heart, for I forget to eat my bread.
5Because of the sound of my groaning my bone clings to my flesh.
…
8All the day my enemies taunt me; those who rage against me swear by me.
9For ashes like bread I have eaten, and my drink with weeping I have mixed,
Its words in the original
- דָּמִיתִיdamiti· think, intend; be like
Think, intend; also compare or be like.
- קְאַתkeat· pelican
A bird of the wilderness and of ruins; perhaps the pelican.
- מִדְבָּרmidbar· wilderness
Wilderness: in the Bible it is not only sand; it is dry, untilled land, where flocks can be led but people cannot live by sowing.
- הָיִיתִיhayiti· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- כוֹסchos· cup; owl
Cup for drinking; figuratively, one's lot. A word with the same letters names an unclean bird, probably an owl.
- חֳרָבוֹתchoravot· ruin, desolate place
A ruin, a destroyed and deserted place.
- שָׁקַדְתִּיshakadti· keep watch, be awake
To keep watch, to stay awake and alert in order to guard something.
- צִפּוֹרtsipor· bird
Bird, small bird.
- בּוֹדֵדboded· alone, apart
Alone, apart from the others.
- גָּגgag· roof, top
Roof, the flat top of a house; the top of something.