What does Psalm 142:1 mean?
ESV: With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
NIV: A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer. I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
NASB: I cry out with my voice to the Lord; With my voice I implore the Lord for compassion.
CSB: A Maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer. I cry aloud to the Lord; I plead aloud to the Lord for mercy.
NLT: I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy.
KJV: Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.
NKJV: {A Contemplation of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave.} I cry out to the Lord with my voice; With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
Verse Commentary:
Verse Context:
Psalm 142:1–2 is a cry for help when David is in trouble. He brings his struggles and fears to the Lord in prayer. David's phrasing emphasizes his earnest appeals: he "cries out," "pleads," and "pours out" his worries (1 Peter 5:7).
Chapter Summary:
David calls for mercy and rescue from the Lord. This either refers to when David was forced to flee to a cave (1 Samuel 22:1) or when King Saul entered a cave in which he and his men were hiding (1 Samuel 24:2–3). David takes all his concerns to God. Enemies are looking for ways to kill David and he feels alone and friendless. Faced with a dire situation, he calls on God with confidence that the future brings the Lord's blessings.
Chapter Context:
While evading death at the hands of King Saul (1 Samuel 19:1–2), David spent time living in a cave (1 Samuel 22:1). Later, he was cornered in a cave when Saul unknowingly entered the cave in which David and his men were hiding in order to relieve himself (1 Samuel 24:2–3). Either of these experiences may have inspired David. It's possible this psalm was composed while David was living in a cave, and that but Psalm 57 was inspired by the tense moments before the encounter with Saul (Psalm 57:1–4). This song is labelled as a maskil, probably referring to a musical style (Psalm 32:1; 42:1; 44:1; 45:1; 52:1; 53:1; 54:1; 55:1; 74:1; 78:1; 88:1; 89:1).
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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