Psalms 142

Authored by: Traditional
142:1
מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בַמְּעָרָה תְפִלָּה׃
Maschil of David, when he was in the cave; a Prayer.
2
142:2
קוֹלִי אֶל־יְהוָה אֶזְעָק קוֹלִי אֶל־יְהוָה אֶתְחַנָּן׃
With my voice I cry unto the LORD; With my voice I make supplication unto the LORD.
142:3
אֶשְׁפֹּךְ לְפָנָיו שִׂיחִי צָרָתִי לְפָנָיו אַגִּיד׃
I pour out my complaint before Him, I declare before Him my trouble;
142:4
בְּהִתְעַטֵּף עָלַי רוּחִי וְאַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ נְתִיבָתִי בְּאֹרַח־זוּ אֲהַלֵּךְ טָמְנוּ פַח לִי׃
When my spirit fainteth within me— Thou knowest my path— In the way wherein I walk Have they hidden a snare for me.
1
142:5
הַבֵּיט יָמִין וּרְאֵה וְאֵין־לִי מַכִּיר אָבַד מָנוֹס מִמֶּנִּי אֵין דּוֹרֵשׁ לְנַפְשִׁי׃
Look on my right hand, and see, For there is no man that knoweth me; I have no way to flee; No man careth for my soul.
1
142:6
זָעַקְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ יְהוָה אָמַרְתִּי אַתָּה מַחְסִי חֶלְקִי בְּאֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים׃
I have cried unto Thee, O LORD; I have said: 'Thou art my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.'
142:7
הַקְשִׁיבָה אֶל־רִנָּתִי כִּי־דַלּוֹתִי מְאֹד הַצִּילֵנִי מֵרֹדְפַי כִּי אָמְצוּ מִמֶּנִּי׃
Attend unto my cry; For I am brought very low; Deliver me from my persecutors; For they are too strong for me.
142:8
הוֹצִיאָה מִמַּסְגֵּר נַפְשִׁי לְהוֹדוֹת אֶת־שְׁמֶךָ בִּי יַכְתִּרוּ צַדִּיקִים כִּי תִגְמֹל עָלָי׃
Bring my soul out of prison, That I may give thanks unto Thy name; The righteous shall crown themselves because of me; For Thou wilt deal bountifully with me.
1
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@JohnHammers

The same cave, a different tone

Labeled 'a prayer when he was in the cave,' this connects to the same episode as Psalm 57, David hiding from Saul. Why would the same historical moment produce two separate psalms with such different tones, one confident and one much more isolated?

Historical & Cultural
1
@Rashi

Rashi on Psalms 142:1

<b>in the cave</b> where he severed the skirt of Saul’s robe.

Historical Commentators

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