Psalms 57:1

Context

Psalm 57¹

For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style;² a prayer³ of David, written when he fled from Saul into the cave.⁴

57:1 Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me!

For in you I have taken shelter.⁵

In the shadow of your wings⁶ I take shelter

until trouble passes.

Psalms 142:1

Context

Psalm 142⁷

A well-written song⁸ by David, when he was in the cave;⁹ a prayer.

142:1 To the Lord I cry out;¹⁰

to the Lord I plead for mercy.¹¹

[57:1] ¹sn Psalm 57. The psalmist asks for God’s protection and expresses his confidence that his ferocious enemies will be destroyed by their own schemes.

[57:1] ²tn Heb “do not destroy.” Perhaps this refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. These words also appear in the heading to Pss 58-59, 75.

[57:1] ³tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16, 56, 58-60 is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”

[57:1] ⁴sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm on the occasion when he fled from Saul and hid in “the cave.” This probably refers to either the incident recorded in 1 Sam 22:1 or to the one recorded in 1 Sam 24:3.

[57:1] ⁵tn Heb “my life has taken shelter.” The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.

[57:1] ⁶sn In the shadow of your wings. The metaphor likens God to a protective mother bird (see also Pss 17:8; 36:7).

[142:1] ⁷sn Psalm 142. The psalmist laments his persecuted state and asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies.

[142:1] ⁸tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.

[142:1] ⁹sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm while in “the cave.” This probably refers to either the incident recorded in 1 Sam 22:1 or to the one recorded in 1 Sam 24:3. See the superscription of Ps 57.

[142:1] ¹⁰tn Heb “[with] my voice to the Lord I cry out.”

[142:1] ¹¹tn Heb “[with] my voice to the Lord I plead for mercy.”