Psalm 142:1-6

You Are My Refuge

1 With my voice I ¹cry out to the Lord; with my voice I ²plead for mercy to the Lord.

2 I ³pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.

3 When my spirit ⁴faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have ⁵hidden a trap for me.

4 ⁶Look to the ⁷right and see: ⁸there is none who takes notice of me; ⁹no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.

5 I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my ¹⁰refuge, my ¹¹portion in ¹²the land of the living. ”

6 ¹³Attend to my cry, for ¹⁴I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, ¹⁵for they are too strong for me!

Psalm 142:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References

• 1. 142:1 Ps. 3:4
• 2. 142:1 Ps. 30:8
• 3. 142:2 [Isa. 26:16]; See Ps. 102, title
• 4. 142:3 See Ps. 77:3
• 5. 142:3 Ps. 140:5
• 6. 142:4 Ps. 69:20
• 7. 142:4 Ps. 16:8
• 8. 142:4 [Ps. 31:11]
• 9. 142:4 Job 11:20; Jer. 25:35
• 10. 142:5 See Ps. 14:6
• 11. 142:5 Ps. 16:5
• 12. 142:5 Ps. 27:13
• 13. 142:6 Ps. 17:1
• 14. 142:6 Ps. 79:8
• 15. 142:6 Ps. 18:17