Psalms 142

A Prayer for Deliverance from Pursuers

1

A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer.

1 I cry out with my voice to Yahweh; I implore favor with my voice to Yahweh.

2 I pour out my complaint before him; I declare my trouble before him.

3 When my spirit faints within me, you know my way. On the path where I walk, they have hidden a trap for me;

4 look to [my] right and see. There is no one looking out for me; there is no escape for me; no one cares for my soul.

5 I cry out to you, O Yahweh. I say, "You [are] my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."

6 Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low. Deliver me from my pursuers, for they are stronger than I.

7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name. [The] righteous will encircle me, because you will deal bountifully with me.

Psalms 142 Commentary

Chapter 142

David's comfort in prayer.

- There can be no situation so distressing or dangerous, in which faith will not get comfort from God by prayer. We are apt to show our troubles too much to ourselves, poring upon them, which does us no service; whereas, by showing them to God, we might cast the cares upon him who careth for us, and thereby ease ourselves. Nor should we allow any complaint to ourselves or others, which we cannot make to God. When our spirits are overwhelmed by distress, and filled with discouragement; when we see snares laid for us on every side, while we walk in his way, we may reflect with comfort that the Lord knoweth our path. Those who in sincerity take the Lord for their God, find him all-sufficient, as a Refuge, and as a Portion: every thing else is a refuge of lies, and a portion of no value. In this situation David prayed earnestly to God. We may apply it spiritually; the souls of believers are often straitened by doubts and fears. And it is then their duty and interest to beg of God to set them at liberty, that they may run the way of his commandments. Thus the Lord delivered David from his powerful persecutors, and dealt bountifully with him. Thus he raised the crucified Redeemer to the throne of glory, and made him Head over all things for his church. Thus the convinced sinner cries for help, and is brought to praise the Lord in the company of his redeemed people; and thus all believers will at length be delivered from this evil world, from sin and death, and praise their Saviour for ever.

Footnotes

• [a]. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
• [b]. Hebrew "a refuge has perished from me"
• [c]. Or "life"
• [d]. Hebrew "my soul"

Chapter Summary

Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. Of the word "maschil," See Gill on "Ps 32:1," title. This psalm is called a prayer, as some others are, the ninetieth and hundred second psalms: and was composed by David when either in the cave of Adullam, 1 Samuel 22:1; or rather in the cave at Engedi, where he cut off Saul's skirt, 1 Samuel 24:3; as Jarchi and Kimchi think. The psalm represents the troubles of David, and of the Messiah his antitype, and is applicable to the church of God, or to any particular soul when in distress.