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Give Heed to My Cry

A [a]Maskil of David. When he was [b]in the cave. A Prayer.

142 With my voice to Yahweh, I (A)cry aloud;
With my voice to Yahweh, I (B)make supplication.
I (C)pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my (D)distress before Him.
When (E)my spirit [c]was faint within me,
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have (F)hidden a trap for me.
Look to the right and see;
That there is (G)no one who regards me;
(H)A way of escape has been destroyed from me;
(I)No one cares for my soul.

I cried out to You, O Yahweh;
I said, “You are (J)my refuge,
My (K)portion in the (L)land of the living.
(M)Give heed to my cry of lamentation,
For I am (N)brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are too (O)strong for me.
(P)Bring my soul out of prison,
To give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will encircle me,
For You will (Q)deal bountifully with me.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142 Title Possibly Contemplative, Didactic, Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 142 Title 1 Sam 22:1; 24:3
  3. Psalm 142:3 Lit fainted

Psalm 142[a]

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

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

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.
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.

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

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.
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

David at the Cave of Adullam

22 So David departed from there and (A)escaped to (B)the cave of Adullam; and his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it and went down there to him. Then everyone who was in distress, and everyone who [a]was in debt, and everyone who was bitter of soul, gathered to him; and he became a commander over them. Now there were (C)about four hundred men with him.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 22:2 Lit had a creditor

David at Adullam and Mizpah

22 David left Gath and escaped to the cave(A) of Adullam.(B) When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered(C) around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.

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