Psalms 142

1 A maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A prayer. I call out to the Lord for help; pleading with the Lord for mercy.

מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִ֑ד בִּהְיוֹת֖וֹ בַמְּעָרָ֣ה תְפִלָּֽה׃ ק֭וֹלִי אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֶזְעָ֑ק ק֝וֹלִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃

2 I pour out my complaints before him; I tell him what's troubling me.

אֶשְׁפֹּ֣ךְ לְפָנָ֣יו שִׂיחִ֑י צָ֝רָתִ֗י לְפָנָ֥יו אַגִּֽיד׃

3 When I'm totally discouraged, you know the direction I should take. But whichever way I go, people set traps for me.

בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֬ף עָלַ֨י ׀ רוּחִ֗י וְאַתָּה֮ יָדַ֪עְתָּ נְֽתִיבָ֫תִ֥י בְּאֹֽרַח־ז֥וּ אֲהַלֵּ֑ךְ טָמְנ֖וּ פַ֣ח לִֽי׃

4 I look to my right for someone to support me—but no one pays me any attention. There's no safe place for me—no one cares about me at all.

הַבֵּ֤יט יָמִ֨ין ׀ וּרְאֵה֮ וְאֵֽין־לִ֪י מַ֫כִּ֥יר אָבַ֣ד מָנ֣וֹס מִמֶּ֑נִּי אֵ֖ין דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃

5 I cry out to you, Lord, for help, saying, “You are the one who keeps me safe; you are all I need in life.

זָעַ֥קְתִּי אֵלֶ֗יךָ יְה֫וָ֥ה אָ֭מַרְתִּי אַתָּ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י חֶ֝לְקִ֗י בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחַיִּים׃

6 Please listen to my sad cry, for I'm feeling very low. Please save me from those who are after me, for they're too strong for me.

הַקְשִׁ֤יבָה ׀ אֶֽל־רִנָּתִי֮ כִּֽי־דַלּ֪וֹתִ֫י מְאֹ֥ד הַצִּילֵ֥נִי מֵרֹדְפַ֑י כִּ֖י אָמְצ֣וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

7 Release me from my prison so I can praise you for the person you are! Those who live right will gather round me because you have treated me so well.”

ה֘וֹצִ֤יאָה מִמַּסְגֵּ֨ר ׀ נַפְשִׁי֮ לְהוֹד֪וֹת אֶת־שְׁ֫מֶ֥ךָ בִּ֭י יַכְתִּ֣רוּ צַדִּיקִ֑ים כִּ֖י תִגְמֹ֣ל עָלָֽי׃