When my spirit, &c.— Now, when my spirit is overwhelmed within me, yet thou knowest my path. "Though the lowness of my spirits renders me incapable of providing for my own escape; yet thou art able to conduct me by the right path." Here he is supposed to make an effort for escaping. He finds he is way-laid in the path that he had designed to take: he looks on the right hand (for I consider the verbs as infinitive) but does not see the persons with whom he had concerted his escape. He despairs of getting off. Mudge. The reader will observe the beautiful brevity of the sentences in the 4th verse. Dr. Chandler renders the last clause, There is no one that concerns himself for my life. The Psalmist complains, and prays that God would regard it with compassion, that no one consulted his safety, or took any care to preserve his life. For נפשׁי napshi, should be rendered in this and many other places, my life, and not my soul.
Related Commentaries of Psalms 142:3
Psalms 142:3-4
3 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.
4 I lookeda on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.