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Psalm 142

When My Spirit Grows Faint

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A maskil[a] by David. When he was in the cave.[b] A prayer.

A Prayer for the Weary

With my voice I cry out to the Lord.
With my voice I call to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out my complaint before him.
I tell my distress before him.
When my spirit grows faint within me,
you are the one who knows my course.
On the path where I walk they have hidden a snare for me.
Look to my right and see.
There is no one who recognizes me.
There is no escape for me.
No one cares about my life.
I cry out to you, Lord.
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
Pay attention to my loud cry,
because I am very weak.
Rescue me from those who pursue me,
because they are too strong for me.
Set me free from my prison,
so I can give thanks to your name.
Then the righteous will gather around me,
because you have accomplished your purpose for me.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 A maskil is a type of hymn. It means a song that makes one wise or a skillful song.
  2. Psalm 142:1 The cave at Adullam in 1 Samuel 22 or the cave at En Gedi in 1 Samuel 24

A Prayer for Deliverance from Pursuers

A maskil of David.

When he was in the cave. A prayer.[a]

142 I cry out with my voice to Yahweh;
I implore favor with my voice to Yahweh.
I pour out my complaint before him;
I declare my trouble before him.
When my spirit faints within me,
you know my way.
On the path where I walk,
they have hidden a trap for me;
look to my right and see.
There is no one looking out for me;
there is no escape for me;[b]
no one cares for my soul.[c]
I cry out to you, O Yahweh.
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
Attend to my cry,
for I am brought very low.
Deliver me from my pursuers,
for they are stronger than I.
Bring me[d] out of prison,
that I may give thanks to your name.
The righteous will encircle me,
because you will deal bountifully with me.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  2. Psalm 142:4 Hebrew “a refuge has perished from me”
  3. Psalm 142:4 Or “life”
  4. Psalm 142:7 Hebrew “my soul”

Further Stops on David’s Flight

22 So David departed from there and escaped to the cave at Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s entire household heard about it, they went down to join him there. Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. There were about four hundred men with him.

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Saul Takes Revenge on the Priests Who Helped David

22 David went from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father’s household[a] heard, they came down to him there. Every man in distress and every man who had a creditor and every embittered man gathered to him, and he became their commander.[b] Now there were about four hundred men with him.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 22:1 Or “family”
  2. 1 Samuel 22:2 Literally “over them as commander”