Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Psalms 142:5-7
3. David’s confident hope in God 142:5-7 read more
Psalm 142
Thomas Constable
Thomas Constable
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Psalms 142:6-7
Again the psalmist begged God to help him escape from his overpowering enemies. He felt imprisoned, with no escape possible if God failed to save him. If God did deliver him he would thank the Lord, and other godly people would join David in his praise because of God’s abundant goodness.When God’s people feel forsaken by all other human allies, they may turn to the Lord-who is always with the righteous. God is able to deliver His own, even if there are no other helpers. [Note: See R. B. Allen,... read more
John Dummelow
John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 142:1-7
A prayer of a hunted soul: ascribed to David ’in the cave,’ but not likely to be by him.3. ’When my spirit is faint within me’ (then I remember) ’thou knowest my path.’7. Prison] metaphorical: cp. Psalms 107:10. Compass me about] RM ’crown themselves because of me.’ The meaning is, that they will rejoice with him in his rejoicing. read more
Charles John Ellicott
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 142
CXLII.This is one of the eight psalms assigned by their inscriptions to the time of David’s persecution by Saul.There is nothing in the contents either to support or controvert the title, unless the recurrence of expressions found in Psalms 42, 61, 77, marks dependence on them. But such dependence would not detract from the originality of the poem before us, an originality shown rather in the passion and play of feeling than in the poetic figure and expression. The parallelism is... read more
Charles John Ellicott
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 142:1
(1) I cried . . .—See Psalms 3:4, &c. read more
Charles John Ellicott
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 142:2
(2) I poured out.—See the same verb used in similar sense, Psalms 42:4; Psalms 62:8; and with the second clause comp. Psalms 107:6. read more
Charles John Ellicott
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 142:3
(3) When my spirit.—Literally, in the muffling upon me of my spirit. When my spirit was so wrapped in trouble and gloom, so “muffled round with woe” that I could not see the path before me, was distracted and unable to chose a. line of conduct, Thou (emphatic) knewest my path. (Comp. for the same verb Psalms 61:2; Psalms 77:3.) read more
Charles John Ellicott
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 142:4
(4) I looked.—The Authorised Version follows the ancient versions in turning the Hebrew imperatives into historic tenses. But they are easily intelligible if taken rhetorically, and indeed the psalm loses in liveliness by missing them:“On the path by which I must walk they have laid a trap for me;Look to the right and see,Not a friend is in sight.Failed has refuge from me,There is none who careth for my soul.”To the “right,” because according to the regular Hebrew metaphor it was on the “right... read more
Charles John Ellicott
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 142:5
(5) With this verse comp. Psalms 31:3; Psalms 22:8; Psalms 16:5, &c. read more
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Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Psalms 142:5
When David had prayed to the Lord, he had expressed confidence that the Lord would defend him. God was his portion or allotment-all that he had. read more