Psalms

Psalm 142:1–7

¹A Maskil^a of David, when he was in the cave. A prayer.

I cry aloud to the LORD;

I lift my voice to the LORD for mercy.

²I pour out my complaint before Him;

I reveal my trouble to Him.

³Although my spirit grows faint within me,

You know my way.

Along the path I travel

they have hidden a snare for me.

⁴Look to my right and see;

no one attends to me.

There is no refuge for me;

no one cares for my soul.

⁵I cry to You, O LORD: “You are my refuge,

my portion in the land of the living.”

⁶Listen to my cry,

for I am brought quite low.

Rescue me from my pursuers,

for they are too strong for me.

⁷Free my soul from prison,

that I may praise Your name.

The righteous will gather around me

because of Your goodness to me.

Footnotes

a 142:1 Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.

Read all of Psalm 142

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 142:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
A Maskil	מַשְׂכִּ֥יל	maś·kîl	Noun - masculine singular	H4905 contemplative poem
of David	לְדָוִ֑ד	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
when he was	בִּהְיוֹת֖וֹ	bih·yō·w·ṯōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
in the cave	בַמְּעָרָ֣ה	ḇam·mə·‘ā·rāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4631 cave
A prayer	תְפִלָּֽה׃	ṯə·p̄il·lāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8605 prayer
I cry	אֶזְעָ֑ק	’ez·‘āq	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H2199 cry, cry out, call
aloud	ק֭וֹלִי	qō·w·lî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6963 sound, voice
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the LORD	יְהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
I lift my voice	ק֝וֹלִ֗י	qō·w·lî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6963 sound, voice
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the LORD	יְהוָ֥ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
for mercy	אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃	’eṯ·ḥan·nān	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - first person common singular	H2603 shew favour, be gracious

Psalm 142:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I pour out	אֶשְׁפֹּ֣ךְ	’eš·pōḵ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H8210 pour out, pour
my complaint	שִׂיחִ֑י	śî·ḥî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H7879 complaint, musing
before Him	לְפָנָ֣יו	lə·p̄ā·nāw	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
I reveal	אַגִּֽיד׃	’ag·gîḏ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H5046 be conspicuous
my trouble	צָ֝רָתִ֗י	ṣā·rā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H6869 id.
to Him	לְפָנָ֥יו	lə·p̄ā·nāw	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6440 face, before

Psalm 142:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Although my spirit	רוּחִ֗י	rū·ḥî	Noun - common singular construct; first person common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
grows faint	בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֬ף	bə·hiṯ·‘aṭ·ṭêp̄	Preposition-b; Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct	H5848 turn aside
within me	עָלַ֨י׀	‘ā·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height
You	וְאַתָּה֮	wə·’at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
know	יָדַ֪עְתָּ	yā·ḏa‘·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3045 know
my way	נְֽתִיבָ֫תִ֥י	nə·ṯî·ḇā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5410 path, pathway
Along the path	בְּאֹֽרַח־	bə·’ō·raḥ-	Preposition-b; Noun - common singular construct	H734 way, path
I travel	אֲהַלֵּ֑ךְ	’ă·hal·lêḵ	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular	H1980 go, come, walk
they have hidden	טָמְנ֖וּ	ṭā·mə·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2934 hide, conceal
a snare	פַ֣ח	p̄aḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H6341 bird-trap
for me	לִֽי׃	lî	Preposition; first person common singular

Psalm 142:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Look	הַבֵּ֤יט	hab·bêṭ	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular	H5027 look
to my right	יָמִ֨ין׀	yā·mîn	Noun - feminine singular	H3225 right hand
and see	וּרְאֵה֮	ū·rə·’êh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H7200 see
no one	וְאֵֽין־	wə·’ên-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
attends	מַ֫כִּ֥יר	mak·kîr	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular	H5234 regard, recognize
to me	לִ֪י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
There is no	אָבַ֣ד	’ā·ḇaḏ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6 perish
refuge	מָנ֣וֹס	mā·nō·ws	Noun - masculine singular	H4498 flight.
for me	מִמֶּ֑נִּי	mim·men·nî	Preposition; first person common singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
no one	אֵ֖ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
cares	דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ	dō·w·rêš	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H1875 resort to, seek
for my soul	לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃	lə·nap̄·šî	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

Psalm 142:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I cry	זָעַ֥קְתִּי	zā·‘aq·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H2199 cry, cry out, call
to You	אֵלֶ֗יךָ	’ê·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H413 motion to
O LORD	יְה֫וָ֥ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
You	אַתָּ֣ה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
my refuge	מַחְסִ֑י	maḥ·sî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H4268 refuge, shelter
my portion	חֶ֝לְקִ֗י	ḥel·qî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H2506 portion, tract, territory
in the land	בְּאֶ֣רֶץ	bə·’e·reṣ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
of the living	הַֽחַיִּים׃	ha·ḥay·yîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H2416 alive, living

Psalm 142:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Listen	הַקְשִׁ֤יבָה׀	haq·šî·ḇāh	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H7181 incline, attend
to	אֶֽל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
my cry	רִנָּתִי֮	rin·nā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H7440 ringing cry
for	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I am brought	דַלּ֪וֹתִ֫י	ḏal·lō·w·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H1809 hang, be low, languish
quite low	מְאֹ֥ד	mə·’ōḏ	Adverb	H3966 muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly
Rescue me	הַצִּילֵ֥נִי	haṣ·ṣî·lê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H5337 strip, plunder
from	מִמֶּֽנִּי׃	mim·men·nî	Preposition; first person common singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
my pursuers	מֵרֹדְפַ֑י	mê·rō·ḏə·p̄ay	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H7291 pursue, chase, persecute
for	כִּ֖י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they are too strong for me	אָמְצ֣וּ	’ā·mə·ṣū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H553 be alert

Psalm 142:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Free	ה֘וֹצִ֤יאָה	hō·w·ṣî·’āh	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H3318 go or come out
my soul	נַפְשִׁי֮	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
from prison	מִמַּסְגֵּ֨ר׀	mim·mas·gêr	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H4525 locksmith, smith
that I may praise	לְהוֹד֪וֹת	lə·hō·w·ḏō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H3034 throw, cast
Your name	שְׁ֫מֶ֥ךָ	šə·me·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H8034 name
The righteous	צַדִּיקִ֑ים	ṣad·dî·qîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H6662 just, righteous
will gather around me	יַכְתִּ֣רוּ	yaḵ·ti·rū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3803 surround
because	כִּ֖י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
of Your goodness	תִגְמֹ֣ל	ṯiḡ·mōl	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H1580 deal fully or adequately with, deal out to
to me	עָלָֽי׃	‘ā·lāy	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height