Psalms 142:1-7

Context

Psalm 142¹

A well-written song² 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 about⁶ 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 security¹² 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.

142:7 Free me¹⁴ from prison,

that I may give thanks to your name.

Because of me the godly will assemble,¹⁵

for you will vindicate me.¹⁶

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

[142:1] ²tn 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] ³sn 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] ⁴tn Heb “[with] my voice to the Lord I cry out.”

[142:1] ⁵tn Heb “[with] my voice to the Lord I plead for mercy.”

[142:2] ⁶tn Heb “my trouble before him I declare.”

[142:3] ⁷tn Heb “my spirit grows faint.”

[142:3] ⁸tn Heb “you know my path.”

[142:4] ⁹tn Heb “there is no one who recognizes me.”

[142:4] ¹⁰tn Heb “ a place of refuge perishes from me.”

[142:4] ¹¹tn Heb “there is no one who seeks for the sake of my life.”

[142:5] ¹²tn Heb “my portion.” The psalmist compares the Lord to landed property, which was foundational to economic stability in ancient Israel.

[142:6] ¹³tn Heb “for I am very low.”

[142:7] ¹⁴tn Heb “bring out my life.”

[142:7] ¹⁵tn Or “gather around.”

[142:7] ¹⁶tn The Hebrew idiom גָּמַל עַל (gamal ’al) means “to repay,” here in a positive sense.