The Bible — World English Bible
Psalm 142
In brief
Psalm 142 is a prayer of David, composed according to its title when he was in the cave, on the run from his pursuers. Alone, downcast, with no one who cares for him, he pours out his complaint before God instead of keeping it to himself. He discovers that the LORD knows his path and becomes his refuge. The psalm moves from cry to hope: out of prison to give thanks to the name of God.
The chapter in 4 parts
1I cry with my voice to Yahweh. With my voice, I ask Yahweh for mercy.
2I pour out my complaint before him. I tell him my troubles.
3When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, you knew my route. On the path in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me.
4Look on my right, and see; for there is no one who is concerned for me. Refuge has fled from me. No one cares for my soul.
5I cried to you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
6Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need. Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.
7Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will be good to me.
Key verses
I cry with my voice to Yahweh. With my voice, I ask Yahweh for mercy.
The title places the prayer in the cave, in the time when David is fleeing. This is not a polite prayer: he cries out with his whole voice.
I pour out my complaint before him. I tell him my troubles.
Praying also means telling God your distress without hiding it. David does not try to speak well, he lays everything before him.
Look on my right, and see; for there is no one who is concerned for me. Refuge has fled from me. No one cares for my soul.
David describes the depth of loneliness: no one recognizes him, no refuge remains. In this emptiness he turns to God.
I cried to you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
The pivot of the psalm: when every human refuge disappears, David declares that the LORD is his refuge and his portion, his share of life.
Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will be good to me.
The prayer ends with a purpose: to be set free in order to praise the name of God, and to find fellowship again with the righteous.
Bible verses to meditate on
Test your knowledge
Frequently asked questions about Psalm 142
What does Psalm 142 mean?
It is the prayer of a man cornered. David, hidden in a cave, feels alone and without a way out. He chooses to cry out to God and tell him his distress. The psalm teaches that when every human refuge disappears, the LORD remains a refuge, and that sincere prayer opens the door to deliverance and praise.
Who wrote Psalm 142 and in what context?
The title attributes it to David and says he was in the cave. Tradition connects it to his years of flight from Saul, especially the cave of Adullam or the one at En Gedi, told in the first book of Samuel. The text does not say which, and commentators do not agree.
How can I pray Psalm 142 when I am alone or discouraged?
Read it aloud and make it your own prayer. Take verse 2: tell God what you are going through, without censoring yourself. Repeat verse 5, naming what serves as your refuge, then ask him to lead you out of your prison, as in verse 7. Also talk to a brother or sister about your situation.
Articles quoting Psalm 142
World English Bible translation — public domain.