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Psalm 142
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Psalm 142[a]

A Prayer in Time of Trouble

1 A maskil of David, when he was in the cave.[b] A prayer.

2 With my own voice I cry to the Lord;
    with my own voice I beseech the Lord.
3 Before him I pour out my complaint,
    tell of my distress in front of him.
4 When my spirit is faint within me,(A)
    you know my path.(B)
As I go along this path,
    they have hidden a trap for me.(C)
5 I look to my right hand to see(D)
    that there is no one willing to acknowledge me.
My escape has perished;
    no one cares for me.
6 I cry out to you, Lord,
    I say, You are my refuge,(E)
    my portion in the land of the living.(F)
7 Listen to my cry for help,
    for I am brought very low.(G)
Rescue me from my pursuers,
    for they are too strong for me.
8 Lead my soul from prison,
    that I may give thanks to your name.
Then the righteous shall gather around me[c]
    because you have been good to me.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142 In this lament imploring God for help (Ps 142:2–4), the psalmist tells how enemies have set a trap (Ps 142:4–5), and prays for rescue (Ps 142:6–8). The speaker feels utterly alone (Ps 142:5), exhausted (Ps 142:7), and may even be imprisoned (Ps 142:7). Prison is possibly a metaphor for general distress. The last two verses are the vow of praise, made after receiving an assurance of divine help (Ps 142:7).
  2. 142:1 In the cave: cf. 1 Sm 22:1; 24:1–3; Ps 57:1.
  3. 142:8 Then the righteous shall gather around me: in the Temple, when the psalmist offers a thanksgiving sacrifice.
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Psalm 142
Common English Bible

Psalm 142

A maskil[a] of David, when he was in the cave. A prayer.

142 I cry out loud for help from the Lord.
    I beg out loud for mercy from the Lord.
2 I pour out my concerns before God;
    I announce my distress to him.
3 When my spirit is weak inside me, you still know my way.
    But they’ve hidden a trap for me in the path I’m taking.
4 Look right beside me: See?
    No one pays attention to me.
There’s no escape for me.
    No one cares about my life.

5 I cry to you, Lord, for help.
    “You are my refuge,” I say.
    “You are all I have in the land of the living.”
6 Pay close attention to my shouting,
    because I’ve been brought down so low!
Deliver me from my oppressors
    because they’re stronger than me.
7 Get me out of this prison
    so I can give thanks to your name.
Then the righteous will gather all around me
    because of your good deeds to me.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 Perhaps instruction
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Psalm 142
New International Version

Psalm 142[a]

A maskil[b] of David. When he was in the cave.(A) A prayer.

1 I cry aloud(B) to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.(C)
2 I pour out before him my complaint;(D)
    before him I tell my trouble.(E)

3 When my spirit grows faint(F) within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
    people have hidden a snare for me.
4 Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;(G)
    no one cares(H) for my life.

5 I cry to you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,(I)
    my portion(J) in the land of the living.”(K)

6 Listen to my cry,(L)
    for I am in desperate need;(M)
rescue me(N) from those who pursue me,
    for they are too strong(O) for me.
7 Set me free from my prison,(P)
    that I may praise your name.(Q)
Then the righteous will gather about me
    because of your goodness to me.(R)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 In Hebrew texts 142:1-7 is numbered 142:2-8.
  2. Psalm 142:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
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Psalm 142
King James Version

142 I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.

2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.

3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

5 I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

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New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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