Psalm 142

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Psalm 142

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors

A Maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A Prayer.

¹With my voice I cry to the Lord;
    with my voice I make supplication to the Lord.^(A)
²I pour out my complaint before him;
    I tell my trouble before him.^(B)
³When my spirit is faint,
    you know my way.

In the path where I walk,
    they have hidden a trap for me.^(C)
⁴Look on my right hand and see:
    there is no one who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
    no one cares for me.^(D)

⁵I cry to you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,
    my portion in the land of the living.”^(E)
⁶Listen to my cry,
    for I am brought very low.

Save me from my persecutors,
    for they are too strong for me.^(F)
⁷Bring me out of prison,
    so that I may give thanks to your name.
The righteous will surround me,
    for you will deal bountifully with me.^(G)

Psalm 142

International Standard Version

A Davidic Song, when he was in the cave.^[a] A prayer.

A Call to God for Help

142 My voice cries out to the Lord;
    my voice pleads for mercy to the Lord.
²I pour out my complaint to him,
    telling him all of my troubles.
³Though my spirit grows faint within me,
    you are aware of my path.
Wherever I go,
    they have hidden a trap for me.

⁴I look to my right^[b] and observe—
no one is concerned about me.
There is nowhere I can go for refuge,
and no one cares for me.

⁵So I cry to you, Lord,
    declaring, “You are my refuge,
        my only^[c] possession while I am on this earth.”^[d]
⁶Pay attention to my cry,
    for I have been brought very low.
Deliver me from my tormentors,
    for they are far too strong for me.
⁷Break me out of this prison,
    so I can give thanks to your name.
The righteous will surround me,
    for you will deal generously with me.

Footnotes

Psalm 142:1 cf. 1Sam 24:3-4
Psalm 142:4 So LXX and DSS 11QPs^a; MT reads Look to the right
Psalm 142:5 The Heb. lacks only
Psalm 142:5 Lit. possession in the land of the living

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

International Standard Version (ISV)

Psalm 142 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition