Psalms 142

1 Yahweh, I cry out to you; I plead [with you to help me].

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.

2 I am bringing to you [all] my problems; I am telling you [all] my troubles/difficulties.

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

3 When I am very discouraged, you know what I should do. Wherever I walk, [it is as though] my enemies have hidden traps for me [to fall into].

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

4 I look around, but there is no one who pays attention to me, no one who will protect me, no one who cares about [what happens to] me.

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.

5 [So] Yahweh, I cry out to you [to help me]; you are the one who protects me; and you are all that I need while I am alive.

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

6 Listen to me while I cry out to you [for help], because I am very distressed. Rescue/Save me from those who are pursuing me, because they are very strong, with the result that I cannot [escape from them].

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.

7 Free/Rescue me from my troubles/difficulties [MET] in order that I may thank you. If you do that, when I am with godly/righteous [people], [I will praise you] for having been very good to me.

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.”