6 Give ear to my cry, for I am made very low: take me out of the hands of my haters, for they are stronger than I.
Do not keep in mind against us the sins of our fathers; let your mercy come to us quickly, for we have been made very low.
The Lord keeps the simple; I was made low, and he was my saviour.
There is an old saying, From the evil-doer comes evil: but my hand will never be lifted up against you.
<A Psalm. Of David. When he went in flight from Absalom his son.> Lord, how greatly are they increased who make attacks on me! in great numbers they come against me.
But they are strong who have hate for me without cause: those who are against me falsely are increased in numbers.
Why is your face covered, and why do you give no thought to our trouble and our cruel fate? For our souls are crushed down to the dust: our bodies are stretched out on the earth. Up! and come to our help, and give us salvation because of your mercy.
He will send from heaven, and take me from the power of him whose desire is for my destruction. God will send out his mercy and his good faith. My soul is among lions; I am stretched out among those who are on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and whose tongue is a sharp sword.
For see, they are watching in secret for my soul; the strong have come together against me? but not because of my sin, or my evil-doing, O Lord.
Who kept us in mind when we were in trouble: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
Be quick in answering me, O Lord, for the strength of my spirit is gone: let me see your face, so that I may not be like those who go down into the underworld.
Who will say anything against the saints of God? It is God who makes us clear from evil;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 142
Commentary on Psalms 142 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 142
This psalm is a prayer, the substance of which David offered up to God when he was forced by Saul to take shelter in a cave, and which he afterwards penned in this form. Here is,
Those that are troubled in mind, body, or estate, may, in singing this psalm (if they sing it in some measure with David's spirit), both warrant his complaints and fetch in his comforts.
Maschil of David. A prayer when he was in the cave.
Psa 142:1-3
Whether it was in the cave of Adullam, or that of Engedi, that David prayed this prayer, is not material; it is plain that he was in distress. It was a great disgrace to so great a soldier, so great a courtier, to be put to such shifts for his own safety, and a great terror to be so hotly pursued and every moment in expectation of death; yet then he had such a presence of mind as to pray this prayer, and, wherever he was, still had his religion about him. Prayers and tears were his weapons, and, when he durst not stretch forth his hands against his prince, he lifted them up to his God. There is no cave so deep, so dark, but we may out of it send up our prayers, and our souls in prayer, to God. He calls this prayer Maschil-a psalm of instruction, because of the good lessons he had himself learnt in the cave, learnt on his knees, which he desired to teach others. In these verses observe,
Psa 142:4-7
The psalmist here tells us, for our instruction,