Prayer for Help in Trouble.

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

142 I (A)cry out with my voice to the Lord;
With my voice I (B)implore the Lord for compassion.
I (C)pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my (D)trouble before Him.
When (E)my spirit felt weak 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;
For there is (G)no one who regards me favorably;
[c]There is no (H)escape for me;
(I)No one cares for my soul.

I cried out to You, Lord;
I said, “You are (J)my refuge,
My (K)portion in the (L)land of the living.
(M)Give Your attention to my cry,
For I have been (N)brought very low;
Rescue me from my persecutors,
For they are too (O)strong for me.
(P)Bring my soul out of prison,
So that I may give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will surround me,
For You will (Q)look after me.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 142 Title 1 Sam 22:1; 24:3
  3. Psalm 142:4 Lit Escape has perished from me

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.
I pour out my complaint to him,
    telling him all of my troubles.
Though my spirit grows faint within me,
    you are aware of my path.
Wherever I go,
    they have hidden a trap for me.

I 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.

So I cry to you, Lord,
    declaring, “You are my refuge,
        my only[c] possession while I am on this earth.”[d]
Pay attention to my cry,
    for I have been brought very low.
Deliver me from my tormentors,
    for they are far too strong for me.
Break 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

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

Priests Killed at Nob

22 So David departed from there and (A)escaped to (B)the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard about it, they went down there to him. Then everyone who was in distress, and everyone who [a]was in debt, and everyone who was [b]discontented gathered to him; and he became captain 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
  2. 1 Samuel 22:2 Lit bitter of soul

David at the Cave of Adullam

22 David left from there and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. His brothers and all his father’s family heard about this and went down to him there. Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was malcontent[a] gathered around him, and he became their leader. There were about 400 men with him.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 22:2 Lit. bitter of spirit