Christianity

Psalms 142A Prayer from the Cave

Summary

Psalm 142 is headed a maskil of David, a prayer when he was in the cave. Overwhelmed, the psalmist pours out his complaint before the LORD and says that when his spirit fainted, God knew his path. Looking to his right hand he finds no one who knows him; refuge has failed him and no one cares for his soul. He cries that God is his refuge and portion in the land of the living, and asks to be brought out of prison.

Key verse

“I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.”

Psalms 142:5

Themes

Isolation
Refuge in God
Honest Complaint
Hope of Deliverance

I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.

I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Christianity
1 Samuel 22: The Cave of Adullam
1 Samuel 22:1 tells of David escaping to the cave of Adullam, and 1 Samuel 24 of his hiding in a cave at En-gedi. The heading of Psalm 142 places the prayer in one of these cave episodes.
Christianity
Psalm 57: Another Prayer from the Cave
Psalm 57 also carries a heading placing it when David fled from Saul in the cave, but it moves quickly to confident praise, while Psalm 142 lingers in loneliness.

Questions about Psalms 142

Which cave is meant in Psalm 142?

The heading says only that David was in the cave. Interpreters usually point to the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22) or the cave at En-gedi where David spared Saul (1 Samuel 24).

What does 'no man cared for my soul' mean?

Psalm 142:4 describes looking to the right hand, where a defender would stand, and finding no one. The verse gives words to a sense of total abandonment that turns the psalmist to God alone.