Psalms 102:1

Context

Psalm 102¹

The prayer of an oppressed man, as he grows faint and pours out his lament before the Lord.

102:1 O Lord, hear my prayer!

Pay attention to my cry for help!²

Psalms 142:1

Context

Psalm 142³

A well-written song⁴ by David, when he was in the cave;⁵ a prayer.

142:1 To the Lord I cry out;⁶

to the Lord I plead for mercy.⁷

[102:1] ¹sn Psalm 102. The psalmist laments his oppressed state, but longs for a day when the Lord will restore Jerusalem and vindicate his suffering people.

[102:1] ²tn Heb “and may my cry for help come to you.”

[142:1] ³sn Psalm 142. The psalmist laments his persecuted state and asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies.

[142:1] ⁴tn 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] ⁵sn 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] ⁶tn Heb “[with] my voice to the Lord I cry out.”

[142:1] ⁷tn Heb “[with] my voice to the Lord I plead for mercy.”