Psalms 142

In profound despondency the Psalmist lays his trouble before Jehovah (Psalms 142:1-2), though Jehovah well knows all the circumstances of his life, and the dangers which beset him in his isolation and defencelessness (Psalms 142:3-4). Jehovah has been and is his only hope, and to Him he looks for deliverance which will enable him to give thanks publicly in the midst of rejoicing sympathisers (Psalms 142:5-7). The situation of the Psalmist is desperate. If Psalms 142:7 and Psalms 143:3 are to be understood literally, he was an actual prisoner in a gloomy dungeon; but ‘prison’ may be only a figure for distress. Some commentators suppose that the speaker is Israel, languishing in the prison of exile and despairing of return, but apart from the strongly personal tone of the Psalm, in Psalms 142:7 the Psalmist is distinguished from ‘the righteous,’ who must be (cp. Psalms 141:5) faithful Israelites. It is impossible to suppose that future converts to the worship of Jehovah are meant. For Maschîl, which is only found here in Books iv and v, see Introd. p. xix. With when he was in the cave cp. the title of Psalms 57. The cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22) or that of Engedi (1 Samuel 24) may be meant. For a prayer cp. the titles of Psalms 17, 86, 90, 102, the subscription to Psalms 72, and Habakkuk 3:1.

Psalms 142:1-2

1, 2. The Psalmist’s resolve to seek relief by laying his distress before Jehovah.

Psalms 142:2

2. I will pour out before him my complaint; My distress before him will I declare. Aloud, lit. with my voice, not merely in silent prayer, but with cries which give relief to pent up feeling and express the intensity of distress. Cp. Psalms 3:4; Psalms 30:8; and for ‘cry,’ a word expressing the cry of need, anxiety, distress, cp. Psalms 142:5; Psalms 22:5; Psalms 77:1; Psalms 107:13; Psalms 107:19. poured out my complaint] Cp. 102 title; Psalms 42:4; Psalms 62:8.

Psalms 142:3-4

3, 4. Jehovah knows his peril, and his loneliness.

Psalms 142:4

4. The Massoretic text reads the imperative look … and see. The rendering of P.B.V. and A.V. I looked … and saw (beheld) follows the LXX, Vulg., Syr., and Targ., but requires a change in the vocalisation of the Hebrew words. The indicative I looked is the more obvious reading; but the appeal to Jehovah, look! is more forcible. Cp. Lamentations 1:11; Lamentations 2:20; Lamentations 5:1. on my right hand] Where his protector would be standing if he had one. Cp. Psalms 16:8; Psalms 109:31; Psalms 110:5; Psalms 121:5. But there is no one to acknowledge him as his client (Rth 2:10; Rth 2:19) and defend him. He has no asylum left: lit. a place of flight is perished from me. Cp. Job 11:20; Jeremiah 25:35; Amos 2:14. With the last clause cp. Jeremiah 30:17, “Yonder is Zion, who hath none to care for her.”

Psalms 142:5-7

5–7. Reminding God of his devotion in past times, he prays for a speedy answer to his prayer.

Psalms 142:6

6. A mosaic of phrases which occur elsewhere. Cp. Psalms 17:1; Psalms 79:8; Psalms 7:1; Psalms 31:15; Psalms 18:17.

Psalms 142:7

7. Bring my soul out of prison] Probably to be understood figuratively, ‘bring my soul out of distress’ (Psalms 143:11). Cp. Isaiah 42:7, of the Exile; Psalms 107:10. But it may mean that he was actually in prison. Cp. Psalms 143:3. praise thy name] Give thanks unto thy name, as in Psalms 140:13. the righteous shall compass me about] The loyal worshippers of Jehovah will gather round him to share in his thanksgivings. Cp. Psalms 22:22 ff. The meaning of the verb however is not certain, and some authorities, both ancient and modern, render, as in R.V. marg., crown themselves because of me, i.e. rejoice in my deliverance; but this explanation is improbable, as is also the rendering of the LXX, “the righteous will wait for me, till thou hast recompensed me.” There were then some ‘righteous’ men left; the Psalmist was not so absolutely isolated as his complaint in Psalms 142:4 seemed to shew; but probably friends and sympathisers were in no position to help him in his present distress, and practically he was alone, like Elijah in the wilderness. because thou dealest bountifully with me] Cp. Psalms 13:6.