Discovery BoxPsalms 142:1-6
ContextA well-written song 2 by David, when he was in the cave; 3 a prayer.
142:1 To the Lord I cry out; 4
to the Lord I plead for mercy. 5
142:2 I pour out my lament before him;
I tell him about 6 my troubles.
142:3 Even when my strength leaves me, 7
you watch my footsteps. 8
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
142:4 Look to the right and see!
No one cares about me. 9
I have nowhere to run; 10
no one is concerned about my life. 11
142:5 I cry out to you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my shelter,
my security 12 in the land of the living.”
142:6 Listen to my cry for help,
for I am in serious trouble! 13
Rescue me from those who chase me,
for they are stronger than I am.
[142:1] 1 sn Psalm 142. The psalmist laments his persecuted state and asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies.
[142:1] 2 tn 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] 3 sn 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] 4 tn Heb “[with] my voice to the
[142:1] 5 tn Heb “[with] my voice to the
[142:2] 6 tn Heb “my trouble before him I declare.”
[142:3] 7 tn Heb “my spirit grows faint.”
[142:3] 8 tn Heb “you know my path.”
[142:4] 9 tn Heb “there is no one who recognizes me.”
[142:4] 10 tn Heb “ a place of refuge perishes from me.”
[142:4] 11 tn Heb “there is no one who seeks for the sake of my life.”
[142:5] 12 tn Heb “my portion.” The psalmist compares the
