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Psalms 142

BSB·7 verses ·Old Testament
✦ Tap any verse to open Scripture Explorer — original Hebrew/Greek, commentary, notes & highlights
1I cryאֶזְעָ֑ק’ez·‘āq — To cry out, call for help, summonH2199 — Full Word Study → aloudק֭וֹלִיqō·w·lî — voice, sound, or cryH6963 — Full Word Study → toאֶל־’el- — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →; I lift my voiceק֝וֹלִ֗יqō·w·lî — voice, sound, or cryH6963 — Full Word Study → toאֶל־’el- — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְהוָ֥הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → for mercyאֶתְחַנָּֽן׃’eṯ·ḥan·nān — To show favor, mercy, or compassion; to be graciousH2603 — Full Word Study →. 2I pour outאֶשְׁפֹּ֣ךְ’eš·pōḵ — to pour out, shed, spillH8210 — Full Word Study → my complaintשִׂיחִ֑יśî·ḥî — Complaint, meditation, or speech; utterance of the heartH7879 — Full Word Study → before Himלְפָנָ֣יוlə·p̄ā·nāw — face; presence; beforeH6440 — Full Word Study →; I revealאַגִּֽיד׃’ag·gîḏ — to tell, declare, make knownH5046 — Full Word Study → my troubleצָ֝רָתִ֗יṣā·rā·ṯî — Distress, trouble, adversityH6869 — Full Word Study → to Himלְפָנָ֥יוlə·p̄ā·nāw — face; presence; beforeH6440 — Full Word Study →. 3Although my spiritרוּחִ֗יrū·ḥî — Spirit, breath, wind, or inner dispositionH7307 — Full Word Study → grows faintבְּהִתְעַטֵּ֬ףbə·hiṯ·‘aṭ·ṭêp̄ — to wrap, cover, or overcome with darkness/weaknessH5848 — Full Word Study → within meעָלַ֨י׀‘ā·lay — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study →, Youוְאַתָּה֮wə·’at·tāh — You; second-person pronoun (singular or plural)H859 — Full Word Study → knowיָדַ֪עְתָּyā·ḏa‘·tā — to know, understand, perceiveH3045 — Full Word Study → my wayנְֽתִיבָ֫תִ֥יnə·ṯî·ḇā·ṯî — A beaten track or well-worn path; a way or roadH5410 — Full Word Study →. Along the pathבְּאֹֽרַח־bə·’ō·raḥ- — Way, path, or manner of travelingH734 — Full Word Study → I travelאֲהַלֵּ֑ךְ’ă·hal·lêḵ — to go, walk, travel, proceedH1980 — Full Word Study → they have hiddenטָמְנ֖וּṭā·mə·nū — To hide, conceal, or bury secretlyH2934 — Full Word Study → a snareפַ֣חp̄aḥ — Snare, trap, or thin metal sheetH6341 — Full Word Study → for me. 4Lookהַבֵּ֤יטhab·bêṭ — To look upon, regard, or behold with attentionH5027 — Full Word Study → to my rightיָמִ֨ין׀yā·mîn — right hand, right side, southH3225 — Full Word Study → and seeוּרְאֵה֮ū·rə·’êh — to see, perceive, behold, experienceH7200 — Full Word Study →; no oneוְאֵֽין־wə·’ên- — nothing, nonexistence, absenceH369 — Full Word Study → attendsמַ֫כִּ֥ירmak·kîr — To recognize, acknowledge, regard, or treat as strangeH5234 — Full Word Study → to me. There is noאָבַ֣ד’ā·ḇaḏ — To perish, be destroyed, or lostH6 — Full Word Study → refugeמָנ֣וֹסmā·nō·ws — refuge, a way of escape or flightH4498 — Full Word Study → for meמִמֶּ֑נִּיmim·men·nî — from, out of, by means ofH4480 — Full Word Study →; no oneאֵ֖ין’ên — nothing, nonexistence, absenceH369 — Full Word Study → caresדּוֹרֵ֣שׁdō·w·rêš — to seek, inquire, search diligentlyH1875 — Full Word Study → for my soulלְנַפְשִֽׁי׃lə·nap̄·šî — soul, life, person, selfH5315 — Full Word Study →. 5I cryזָעַ֥קְתִּיzā·‘aq·tî — To cry out, call for help, summonH2199 — Full Word Study → to Youאֵלֶ֗יךָ’ê·le·ḵā — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיְה֫וָ֥הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →: “Youאַתָּ֣ה’at·tāh — You; second-person pronoun (singular or plural)H859 — Full Word Study → are my refuge, my portionחֶ֝לְקִ֗יḥel·qî — portion, allotment, flatteryH2506 — Full Word Study → in the landבְּאֶ֣רֶץbə·’e·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study → of the livingהַֽחַיִּים׃ha·ḥay·yîm — alive, living, lifeH2416 — Full Word Study →.” 6Listenהַקְשִׁ֤יבָה׀haq·šî·ḇāh — To listen attentively; to give heedH7181 — Full Word Study → toאֶֽל־’el- — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study → my cryרִנָּתִי֮rin·nā·ṯî — joyful cry, shout of rejoicingH7440 — Full Word Study →, forכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → I am broughtדַלּ֪וֹתִ֫יḏal·lō·w·ṯî — To hang down, languish, become weak or impoverishedH1809 — Full Word Study → quite lowמְאֹ֥דmə·’ōḏ — Much, greatly, very, exceedinglyH3966 — Full Word Study →. Rescue meהַצִּילֵ֥נִיhaṣ·ṣî·lê·nî — to rescue, deliver, or snatch awayH5337 — Full Word Study → fromמִמֶּֽנִּי׃mim·men·nî — from, out of, by means ofH4480 — Full Word Study → my pursuersמֵרֹדְפַ֑יmê·rō·ḏə·p̄ay — to pursue, chase, or persecuteH7291 — Full Word Study →, forכִּ֖יkî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → they are too strong for meאָמְצ֣וּ’ā·mə·ṣū — To strengthen, make firm, or be courageousH553 — Full Word Study →. 7Freeה֘וֹצִ֤יאָהhō·w·ṣî·’āh — To go out, come forth, exitH3318 — Full Word Study → my soulנַפְשִׁי֮nap̄·šî — soul, life, person, selfH5315 — Full Word Study → from prisonמִמַּסְגֵּ֨ר׀mim·mas·gêr — prison or place of confinementH4525 — Full Word Study →, that I may praiseלְהוֹד֪וֹתlə·hō·w·ḏō·wṯ — To give thanks, praise, or acknowledgeH3034 — Full Word Study → Your nameשְׁ֫מֶ֥ךָšə·me·ḵā — Name; reputation; renownH8034 — Full Word Study →. The righteousצַדִּיקִ֑יםṣad·dî·qîm — Righteous, just person; one who is right with GodH6662 — Full Word Study → will gather around meיַכְתִּ֣רוּyaḵ·ti·rū — to surround, encircle, or crownH3803 — Full Word Study → becauseכִּ֖יkî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → of Your goodnessתִגְמֹ֣לṯiḡ·mōl — To deal bountifully; to ripen or mature; to repay or rewardH1580 — Full Word Study → to meעָלָֽי׃‘ā·lāy — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study →.
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 142
Chapter Overview

Chapter Overview

Psalm 142 is a deeply personal cry of distress from someone who feels utterly alone and hunted. Written as a maskil (contemplative psalm) of David, likely during his time fleeing from King Saul, this psalm shows us a believer at the end of his resources—but not at the end of his faith. The psalmist has nowhere to turn except to the LORD himself, and in that desperation, he discovers that God alone is his true refuge. This is a psalm about radical dependence on God when all earthly help has failed.

Verses 1-2: Pouring Out Our Hearts

David begins with urgent, repetitive prayer: "I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication." Notice the emphasis on his voice—he is not silent or resigned; he is vocal, urgent, and persistent. He then "poured out [his] complaint before him," showing God his trouble openly and without pretense.

The beauty here is that David does not sanitize his prayer or hide his pain. He comes to God as he truly is—desperate, frightened, and overwhelmed. God invites this kind of honest prayer. There is no need to put on a brave face before the throne of grace. Application: When you pray, bring your real emotions and real struggles. God is not surprised by your complaints; He invites you to lay them all before Him.

Verses 3-4: Abandoned and Hunted

The psalmist reveals why his cry is so desperate: his spirit is overwhelmed (verse 3), and he is surrounded by hidden dangers—enemies have "privily laid a snare" for him. Worse still, when he looks around for human help, he finds nothing. "I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me." In ancient custom, the right hand was the side of protection and honor. But David finds it empty.

He is alone, hunted, and friendless. His natural support systems have failed him. Application: There are seasons when friends disappoint us, when earthly security disappears, and when we stand isolated. These moments, though painful, are designed by God to turn our eyes toward Him—our only unfailing refuge.

Verses 5-6: Renewing Faith in Crisis

Despite his dire circumstances, David turns directly to God: "I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living." Notice the shift in tone—from complaint to declaration of faith. God is not just a refuge in heaven; He is David's portion "in the land of the living," meaning present, practical deliverance here and now.

He then asks God to "attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low." The Hebrew word for "brought low" suggests being brought to utter weakness. David is honest: he cannot save himself. His persecutors are stronger. Application: True faith is not pretending we're strong; it's admitting our weakness and trusting God's strength. Our desperation becomes the doorway to His power.

Verse 7: Hope and Praise Restored

The psalm concludes with a beautiful reversal. David does not ask "if" God will deliver him, but asks Him to "bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name." He moves from desperation to expectation. He already envisions a future where he praises God with the righteous gathered around him, and God deals "bountifully" with him.

Application: Deliverance and praise are linked. When we trust God in our darkest hours, we cultivate a praising heart. Even before we see the answer, faith declares that God will be faithful.

Application for Today

Psalm 142 teaches us that our isolation and helplessness are not disqualifications for God's help—they are invitations to deeper faith. Whatever you are facing today, you may feel abandoned by people and pressed by circumstances. Bring that raw reality to God in prayer. Declare that He alone is your refuge and portion. Your weakness is the perfect place for His strength to be made perfect.

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