Psalms 142 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Psalm 142

You Are My Refuge

A Maskil¹ of David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.

142:1   With my voice I cry out to the LORD;
    with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.
2   I pour out my complaint before him;
    I tell my trouble before him.
3   When my spirit faints within me,
    you know my way!
  In the path where I walk
    they have hidden a trap for me.
4   Look to the right and see:
    there is none who takes notice of me;
  no refuge remains to me;
    no one cares for my soul.
5   I cry to you, O LORD;
    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 persecutors,
    for they are too strong for me!
7   Bring me out of prison,
    that I may give thanks to your name!
  The righteous will surround me,
    for you will deal bountifully with me.

Footnotes

[1] 142:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term

Commentary

David's prayer when he fled from Saul; and is the most emotional of this set of three. Same time as Psalms 52; 54; 56; 59.

v1-2: I can cry out to the Lord because He hears. Idols have ears but they do not hear (Ps 135.16). I can bring "my complaint" and "my trouble" before Him, with confidence that He will hear and act. I know that if "no one cares for my life" then God does.

v3-4: The attacks of the enemy were in secret, but David grew faint, his spirit overwhelmed. Outside of God there can be no help.

v5: See Ps 140.6-7; 141.8, God our refuge.

v6: This psalm seems to refer to a deeper problem than the previous two, yet equally, David's confidence in God was such that he knew God could and would deliver him.

v7: Having endured the presence of the ungodly, he now rejoices that the righteous surround him; contrast Ps 140.9. David's experience of deliverance was a testimony to others.