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 maskil of David, while he was in the cave, a prayer. Loudly I cry to the Lord: to the Lord plead loudly for mercy,

2 I pour forth my meditation before Him, I declare my distress before Him.

I pour my complaint before him, I tell my troubles to him.

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 is faint within me, my path is known to you. In the way I am wont to walk in, they have hidden a trap 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 look to the right and the left; but not a friend have I. No place of refuge is left me, not a man to care for me.

5 I have cried to you, O YHWH, I have said, “You [are] my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.”

So I cry to you, O Lord: I say, ‘My refuge are you, all I have 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 piercing cry, for very weak am I. Save me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.

7 Bring forth my soul from prison to confess Your Name, The righteous surround me about, When You confer benefits on me!

Free me from prison, that I may give thanks to your name, for the righteous are patiently waiting till you show your bounty to me.