< Psalms 142 >
1 AN INSTRUCTION OF DAVID. A PRAYER WHEN HE IS IN THE CAVE. My voice [is] to YHWH, I cry, My voice [is] to YHWH, I beg [for] grace.
[A Psalm] of instruction for David, when he was in the cave, —a Prayer. I cried to the Lord with my voice; with my voice I made supplication to the Lord.
2 I pour forth my meditation before Him, I declare my distress before Him.
I will pour out before him my supplication: I will declare before him mine affliction.
3 When my spirit has been feeble in me, Then You have known my path; In the way [in] which I walk, They have hid a snare for me.
When my spirit was fainting within me, then you knew my paths; in the very way wherein I was walking, they hid a snare for me.
4 Looking on the right hand—and seeing, And I have none recognizing; Refuge has perished from me, There is none inquiring for my soul.
I looked on [my] right hand, and behold, for there was none that noticed me; refuge failed me; and there was none that cared for my soul.
5 I have cried to you, O YHWH, I have said, “You [are] my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.”
I cried to you, O Lord, and said, You are my hope, my portion in the land of the living.
6 Attend to my loud cry, For I have become very low, Deliver me from my pursuers, For they have been stronger than I.
Attend to my supplication, for I am brought very low; deliver me from them that persecute me; for they are stronger than I.
7 Bring forth my soul from prison to confess Your Name, The righteous surround me about, When You confer benefits on me!
Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name, O Lord; the righteous shall wait for me, until you recompense me.