Psalms 142:7

7. Bring my soul out of prison There is no necessity for understanding מסגר , ( masger,) prison, in a figurative sense for affliction, distress, and making Psalms 25:17; Psalms 143:11, parallels. The word never takes that sense, but either signifies prison, jail, place of confinement, (as Isaiah 24:22; Isaiah 42:7,) or a smith, one that works in iron. We have already seen that the Philistines had seized, arrested David, (see note on title of Psalms 56:0,) and the history shows that he was detained by force when he would have escaped. 1 Samuel 21:10-15. Indeed, his escape was due solely to the providence of God, as Psalms 34, 56 fully declare.

The righteous shall compass me about David is not alone. He belongs to the spiritual “commonwealth of Israel,” the universal Church. The divine treatment of him will set forth a principle which shall affect all who trust in God. With him, therefore, the true-hearted Church will sympathize, and upon his deliverance they will surround him with joyful gratulations; or, giving the word the sense of crowning, triumph, as in Proverbs 14:18, they shall deck themselves as with crowns they shall triumph.