A Plea for Relief from Persecutors

A (A)Contemplation[a] of David. A Prayer (B)when he was in the cave.

142 I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.

When my spirit [b]was (C)overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly (D)set a snare for me.
Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.

I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
[c]Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.
Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may (E)praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 Heb. Maschil
  2. Psalm 142:3 Lit. fainted
  3. Psalm 142:6 Give heed

142 מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִ֑ד בִּהְיוֹת֖וֹ בַמְּעָרָ֣ה תְפִלָּֽה׃

ק֭וֹלִי אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֶזְעָ֑ק ק֝וֹלִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃

אֶשְׁפֹּ֣ךְ לְפָנָ֣יו שִׂיחִ֑י צָ֝רָתִ֗י לְפָנָ֥יו אַגִּֽיד׃

בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֬ף עָלַ֨י׀ רוּחִ֗י וְאַתָּה֮ יָדַ֪עְתָּ נְֽתִיבָ֫תִ֥י בְּאֹֽרַח־ז֥וּ אֲהַלֵּ֑ךְ טָמְנ֖וּ פַ֣ח לִֽי׃

הַבֵּ֤יט יָמִ֨ין׀ וּרְאֵה֮ וְאֵֽין־לִ֪י מַ֫כִּ֥יר אָבַ֣ד מָנ֣וֹס מִמֶּ֑נִּי אֵ֖ין דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃

זָעַ֥קְתִּי אֵלֶ֗יךָ יְה֫וָ֥ה אָ֭מַרְתִּי אַתָּ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י חֶ֝לְקִ֗י בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחַיִּים׃

הַקְשִׁ֤יבָה׀ אֶֽל־רִנָּתִי֮ כִּֽי־דַלּ֪וֹתִ֫י מְאֹ֥ד הַצִּילֵ֥נִי מֵרֹדְפַ֑י כִּ֖י אָמְצ֣וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

ה֘וֹצִ֤יאָה מִמַּסְגֵּ֨ר׀ נַפְשִׁי֮ לְהוֹד֪וֹת אֶת־שְׁ֫מֶ֥ךָ בִּ֭י יַכְתִּ֣רוּ צַדִּיקִ֑ים כִּ֖י תִגְמֹ֣ל עָלָֽי׃