7 Take my soul out of prison, so that I may give praise to your name: the upright will give praise because of me; for you have given me a full reward.
I will make a song to the Lord, because he has given me my reward.
Who gives their rights to those who are crushed down; and gives food to those who are in need of it: the Lord makes the prisoners free;
<GIMEL> Give me, your servant, the reward of life, so that I may keep your word;
We say that those men who have gone through pain are happy: you have the story of Job and the troubles through which he went and have seen that the Lord was full of pity and mercy in the end.
The spirit of the Lord is on me, because I am marked out by him to give good news to the poor; he has sent me to make the broken-hearted well, to say that the prisoners will be made free, and that those in chains will see the light again;
<Maschil. Of David. A prayer when he was in the hole of the rock.> The sound of my cry went up to the Lord; with my voice I made my prayer for grace to the Lord.
Come up, Lord, in your wrath; be lifted up against my haters; be awake, my God, give orders for the judging. The meeting of the nations will be round you; take your seat, then, over them, on high.
Come back to your rest, O my soul; for the Lord has given you your reward.
I am numbered among those who go down into the earth; I have become like a man for whom there is no help: My soul is among the dead, like those in the underworld, to whom you give no more thought; for they are cut off from your care. You have put me in the lowest deep, even in dark places. The weight of your wrath is crushing me, all your waves have overcome me. (Selah.) You have sent my friends far away from me; you have made me a disgusting thing in their eyes: I am shut up, and not able to come out.
My soul will say great things of the Lord: the poor in spirit will have knowledge of it and be glad.
Be my saviour from the lion's mouth; let me go free from the horns of the cruel oxen. I will give the knowledge of your name to my brothers: I will give you praise among the people. You who have fear of the Lord, give him praise; all you seed of Jacob, give him glory; go in fear of him, all you seed of Israel. For he has not been unmoved by the pain of him who is troubled; or kept his face covered from him; but he has given an answer to his cry. My praise will be of you in the great meeting: I will make my offerings before his worshippers. The poor will have a feast of good things: those who make search for the Lord will give him praise: your heart will have life for ever. All the ends of the earth will keep it in mind and be turned to the Lord: all the families of the nations will give him worship.
So that I may make clear all your praise in the house of the daughter of Zion: I will be glad because of your salvation.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 142
Commentary on Psalms 142 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 142
Ps 142:1-7. Maschil—(See on Ps 32:1, title). When he was in the cave—either of Adullam (1Sa 22:1), or En-gedi (1Sa 24:3). This does not mean that the Psalm was composed in the cave, but that the precarious mode of life, of which his refuge in caves was a striking illustration, occasioned the complaint, which constitutes the first part of the Psalm and furnishes the reason for the prayer with which it concludes, and which, as the prominent characteristic, gives its name.
1. with my voice—audibly, because earnestly.
2. (Compare Ps 62:8).
I poured out my complaint—or, "a sad musing."
3. thou knewest … path—The appeal is indicative of conscious innocence; knowest it to be right, and that my affliction is owing to the snares of enemies, and is not deserved (compare Ps 42:4; 61:2).
4. Utter desolation is meant.
right hand—the place of a protector (Ps 110:5).
cared for—literally, "sought after," to do good.
5. (Compare Ps 31:14; 62:7).
6. (Compare Ps 17:1).
7. (Compare Ps 25:17).
that I may praise—literally, "for praising," or, "that Thy name may be praised," that is, by the righteous, who shall surround me with sympathizing joy (Ps 35:27).