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Psalm 142

David brings his isolation and danger before God, naming him as refuge while rescue remains a plea.

David cries aloud to YHWH from a place of danger and isolation. The heading places this prayer in a cave, though it does not identify which cave or occasion. He describes hidden snares, absent help, and persecutors stronger than he is. He pours out his complaint to God, whom he calls his refuge and portion. The prayer ends with a plea for release and the hope of giving thanks among the righteous.

lonelinessfear for the futurewanting a steady prayer habit
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1A contemplation by David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer. I cry with my voice to the LORD. With my voice, I ask the LORD for mercy.
2I pour out my complaint before him. I tell him my troubles.
3When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, you knew my route. On the path in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me.
4Look on my right, and see; for there is no one who is concerned for me. Refuge has fled from me. No one cares for my soul.
5I cried to you, LORD. I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
6Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need. Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.
7Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will be good to me.
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Key verses
Psalm 142:5Calling YHWH his refuge and portion marks David’s trust in God amid the loss of every other shelter.
Psalm 142:4David’s stark account of having no one to help makes the need behind his prayer plain.
Psalm 142:2David brings his complaint before God, making his trouble part of the prayer rather than concealing it.
Where this chapter reaches

The cave setting connects with 1 Samuel’s accounts of David taking shelter in caves while fleeing Saul, though the psalm names no specific episode. Lamentations shares the language of YHWH as one’s portion amid distress, expressing dependence on God when security has collapsed.

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After reading the whole chapter

What stands out to you about David calling God his refuge after saying refuge has fled?

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What complaint, if any, would you want to bring before God with David’s frankness?

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Questions people ask about Psalm 142

Which cave was David in when he wrote Psalm 142?

The heading attributes the prayer to David and places him in a cave, without naming it. First Samuel describes cave episodes at Adullam and in the wilderness of En Gedi. Either may provide context, but the psalm itself does not give enough detail to identify the occasion.

What does “Bring my soul out of prison” mean in Psalm 142?

The phrase describes David’s need to be freed from confinement and danger. It may picture his trapped condition rather than a literal jail; the heading mentions a cave. The surrounding verses name snares and stronger persecutors. His requested release would lead to thanksgiving in the company of the righteous.

What does “my portion” mean in Psalm 142:5?

A portion is someone’s allotted share or possession. Calling YHWH his portion expresses David’s dependence on God as the one who sustains him when human help is absent. The phrase “in the land of the living” locates that trust within his present life, where he still seeks rescue.

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What the Bible says about loneliness →What the Bible says about fear →

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).