Psalms 142 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. I cried unto the Lord - See on Psalms 141:1 (note).

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. Then thou knewest my path - When Saul and his army were about the cave in which I was hidden, thou knewest my path - that I had then no way of escape but by miracle: but thou didst not permit them to know that I was wholly in their power.

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. There was no man, that would know me - This has been applied to the time in which our Lord was deserted by his disciples. As to the case of David in the cave of En-gedi, he had no refuge: for what were the handful of men that were with him to Saul and his army?

I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Thou art my refuge - Even in these most disastrous circumstances, I will put my trust in thee.

Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I. I am brought very low - Never was I so near total ruin before.

Deliver me from my persecutors - They are now in full possession of the only means of my escape.

They are stronger than I-- What am I and my men against this well-appointed armed multitude, with their king at their head.

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. Bring my soul out of prison - Bring נפשי naphshi, my life, out of this cave in which it is now imprisoned; Saul and his men being in possession of the entrance.

The righteous shall compass me about - יכתרו yachtiru, they shall crown me; perhaps meaning that the pious Jews, on the death of Saul, would cheerfully join together to make him king, being convinced that God, by his bountiful dealings with him, intended that it should be so. The old Psalter, which is imperfect from the twenty-frst verse of Psalms 119 to the end of Psalms 141:1-10, concludes this Psalm thus: "Lede my saule oute of corruption of my body; that corrupcion is bodely pyne, in whilk my saule is anguyst; after that in Godes house, Sal al be louyng (praising) of the."

Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke [1831].