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Psalm 142

A psalm[a] of David, regarding his experience in the cave. A prayer.

I cry out to the Lord;
    I plead for the Lord’s mercy.
I pour out my complaints before him
    and tell him all my troubles.
When I am overwhelmed,
    you alone know the way I should turn.
Wherever I go,
    my enemies have set traps for me.
I look for someone to come and help me,
    but no one gives me a passing thought!
No one will help me;
    no one cares a bit what happens to me.
Then I pray to you, O Lord.
    I say, “You are my place of refuge.
    You are all I really want in life.
Hear my cry,
    for I am very low.
Rescue me from my persecutors,
    for they are too strong for me.
Bring me out of prison
    so I can thank you.
The godly will crowd around me,
    for you are good to me.”

Footnotes

  1. 142:Title Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term.

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

David at the Cave of Adullam

22 So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there. Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men.

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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