142:0
A maskil of David, when he was in the cave. [cf. Ps 57 heading]
A prayer.
142:1
I cry out [with] my voice to Yahweh.
I plead for grace [with] my voice to Yahweh.
142:2
I pour out before him my complaint.
I report my distress before him.
142:3
When my spirit becomes overwhelmed within me,
you also knew my pathway.
On the road on which I walk
they have concealed a trap for me.
142:4
Have a look at my right-hand [side] and see:
for there is no one who respects me.
[My] place of escape has vanished from me.
There is no-one who looks out for my life.
142:5
I cried out to you, Yahweh!
I said, “You [are] my place of escape,
my portion in the land of the living.”
142:6
Pay attention to my alulation.
For I am brought very low.
Deliver me from my pursuers,
for they are stronger than me.
142:7
Cause my soul to come forth from prison.
so that I might give thanks to your name.
[The] righteous will encircle me,
for you will fully compensate me.
[The exiles could take comfort that David too was exiled in the cave, and he came to dwell in Jerusalem in the end.]
HEADING
Psalm 142:0a WLC מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִ֑ד
Psalm 142:0a MOMT A maskil of David,
Psalm 142:0b WLC prep+Qal Infin cs (temporal) בִּהְיֹותֹ֖ו בַמְּעָרָ֣ה
Psalm 142:0b MOMT when he was in the cave. [cf. Ps 57 heading]
[The Heb. for ‘cave’ is מְעָרָה (mearah). David fled from Saul to caves (1 Samuel 22-24; 2 Sam 23:13; 1 Chron 11:15). Caves are hiding places (Gen 19:30; Josh 10:16-18, 22-23; 1 Sam 13:6; ) and places of burial (Gen 23:9-20; 25:9; 49:29-32; 50:13; Josh 10:27).]
Psalm 142:0c WLC תְפִלָּֽה׃
Psalm 142:0c MOMT A prayer. [Ps 72:20; 86:1; 90:1; 102:1; 141:2; 143:1].
[First instance of תְּפִלָּה (tephillah) is 2 Sam 7:27; also 1 Kgs 8:28-29, 38, 45, 49, 54; 9:3]
DAVID DESCRIBES HIS PRAYER (vv. 1-2)
Psalm 142:1a WLC X-Yiqtol קֹ֭ולִי אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֶזְעָ֑ק
Psalm 142:1a MOMT I cry out [with] my voice to Yahweh.
Psalm 142:1b WLC X-Yiqtol [Hithpael of חָנַן] קֹ֝ולִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃
Psalm 142:1b MOMT I plead for grace [with] my voice to Yahweh.
Psalm 142:2a WLC Yiqtol אֶשְׁפֹּ֣ךְ לְפָנָ֣יו שִׂיחִ֑י
Psalm 142:2a MOMT I pour out before him my complaint.
[Noun שִׂיחַ means ‘complaint, concern’. Ps 55:2; 64:1; 102:1; 142:2; also ‘meditation’: Ps 104:34. Only 13 instances in the OT. ]
Psalm 142:2b WLC X-Yiqtol צָ֝רָתִ֗י לְפָנָ֥יו אַגִּֽיד׃
Psalm 142:2b MOMT I report my distress before him.
THE TRAPS LAID ALONG DAVID’S PATH; NO-ONE IS ON HIS SIDE (vv. 3-4)
Psalm 142:3a WLC Hithpael Infin cs (temporal) בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֬ף עָלַ֨י ׀ רוּחִ֗י
Psalm 142:3a MOMT When my spirit becomes overwhelmed (עָטַף, faint, feeble) within me,
[cf. 61:2; 77:3; 102:1; 107:5; 143:4; Isa 57:16; Jonah 2:7]
Psalm 142:3b WLC We-Pronoun-Qatal וְאַתָּה֮ יָדַ֪עְתָּ נְֽתִיבָ֫תִ֥י
Psalm 142:3b MOMT you also knew my pathway.
Psalm 142:3c WLC X-Yiqtol בְּאֹֽרַח־ז֥וּ אֲהַלֵּ֑ךְ
Psalm 142:3c MOMT On the road on which I walk
Psalm 142:3d WLC Qatal טָמְנ֖וּ פַ֣ח לִֽי׃
Psalm 142:3d MOMT they have concealed a trap for me.
Psalm 142:4a WLC Impv+Impv הַבֵּ֤יט יָמִ֨ין ׀ וּרְאֵה֮
Psalm 142:4a MOMT Have a look at my right-hand [side] and see:
[David’s right-hand man has probably betrayed him. His wing-man has abandoned him.]
Psalm 142:4b WLC We-SNC וְאֵֽין־לִ֪י מַ֫כִּ֥יר
Psalm 142:4b MOMT for there is no one who respects me.
Psalm 142:4c WLC Qatal אָבַ֣ד מָנֹ֣וס מִמֶּ֑נִּי
Psalm 142:4c MOMT [My] place of escape has vanished from me.
Psalm 142:4d WLC SNC אֵ֖ין דֹּורֵ֣שׁ לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃
Psalm 142:4d MOMT There is no-one who looks out for my life.
DAVID AGAIN PRAYS CONFIDENTLY FOR DELIVERANCE (vv. 5-7)
Psalm 142:5a WLC Qatal זָעַ֥קְתִּי אֵלֶ֗יךָ יְה֫וָ֥ה
Psalm 142:5a MOMT I cried out to you, Yahweh!
Psalm 142:5b WLC Qatal-Pronom אָ֭מַרְתִּי אַתָּ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י
Psalm 142:5b MOMT I said, “You [are] my place of escape,
Psalm 142:5c WLC SNC חֶ֝לְקִ֗י בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחַיִּים׃
Psalm 142:5c MOMT my portion in the land of the living.”
Psalm 142:6a WLC Impv הַקְשִׁ֤יבָה ׀ אֶֽל־רִנָּתִי֮
Psalm 142:6a MOMT Pay attention to my alulation.
Psalm 142:6b WLC Ki-Qatal כִּֽי־דַלֹּ֪ותִ֫י מְאֹ֥ד
Psalm 142:6b MOMT For I am brought very low.
Psalm 142:6c WLC Impv הַצִּילֵ֥נִי מֵרֹדְפַ֑י
Psalm 142:6c MOMT Deliver me from my pursuers,
Psalm 142:6d WLC Ki-Qatal כִּ֖י אָמְצ֣וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
Psalm 142:6d MOMT for they are stronger than me.
Psalm 142:7a WLC Impv הֹ֘וצִ֤יאָה מִמַּסְגֵּ֨ר ׀ נַפְשִׁי֮
Psalm 142:7a MOMT Cause my soul to come forth from prison. [Ps 143:1]
Psalm 142:7b WLC Hiph infin cs (purpose) לְהֹודֹ֪ות אֶת־שְׁ֫מֶ֥ךָ
Psalm 142:7b MOMT so that I might give thanks to your name.
Psalm 142:7c WLC Yiqtol יַכְתִּ֣רוּ צַדִּיקִ֑ים
Psalm 142:7c MOMT [The] righteous will encircle me,
Psalm 142:7d WLC Ki-Yiqtol כִּ֖י תִגְמֹ֣ל עָלָֽי׃
Psalm 142:7d MOMT for you will fully compensate/reward me.