Psalms 142:1-2

Source introduction

This psalm is a prayer, the substance of which David offered up to God when he was forced by Saul to take shelter in a cave, and which he afterwards penned in this form. Here is, I. The complaint he makes to God ( ver. 1, 2 ) of the subtlety, strength, and malice, of his enemies ( ver. 3 , 6 ), and the coldness and indifference of his friends, ver. 4 . II. The comfort he takes in God that he knew his case ( ver. 3 ) and was his refuge, ver. 5 . III. His expectation from God that he would hear and deliver him, ver. 6, 7 . IV His expectation from the righteous that they would join with him in praises, ver. 7 . Those that are troubled in mind, body, or estate, may, in singing this psalm (if they sing it in some measure with David's spirit), both warrant his complaints and fetch in his comforts.

Historical source material; not Bible & Context authorship or canon proof.

David's Complaints.

Embedded KJV/source Scripture
1 I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication. 2 I poured out my complaint before him; I showed before him my trouble. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

Whether it was in the cave of Adullam, or that of Engedi, that David prayed this prayer, is not material; it is plain that he was in distress. It was a great disgrace to so great a soldier, so great a courtier, to be put to such shifts for his own safety, and a great terror to be so hotly pursued and every moment in expectation of death; yet then he had such a presence of mind as to pray this prayer, and, wherever he was, still had his religion about him. Prayers and tears were his weapons, and, when he durst not stretch forth his hands against his prince, he lifted them up to his God. There is no cave so deep, so dark, but we may out of it send up our prayers, and our souls in prayer, to God. He calls this prayer Maschil—a psalm of instruction, because of the good lessons he had himself learnt in the cave, learnt on his knees, which he desired to teach others. In these verses observe,

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Matthew Henry commentary on Psalms 142:1-2

David's Complaints.