Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 142

I cried unto the Lord with my voice - See the notes at (Psalms 3:4), where the language is the same. He uttered a loud and audible prayer, though he was alone. It was not a mere mental cry, but he gave expression to his desires.

With my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication - See (Psalms 30:8). The Hebrew word rendered “did make my supplication,” means to implore favor or mercy. It denotes the language of petition and entreaty, not the language of claim.

I poured out my complaint before him - literally, my meditation; that is, what so greatly occupied my thoughts at the time I expressed aloud.

The word “complaint” does not express the idea. The meaning is, not that he “complained” of God or of man; but that his mind “meditated” on his condition.

He was full of care and anxiety, and he went and poured this out freely before God. The Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate render this, “my prayer.” See Psalms 55:2, where the same Hebrew word is used.

I showed before him my trouble - I made mention of it. I spoke of it.

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me - Luther renders this, “When my spirit was in distress.” The Hebrew word rendered “overwhelmed” means, in Kal, to cover as with a garment; then, to be covered as with darkness, trouble, sorrow; and then, to languish, to faint, to be feeble (Psalms 77:3; Psalms 107:5). The idea here is that, in his troubles, he had no vigor, no life, no spirit. He did not see how he could escape from his troubles, and he had no heart to make an effort.

Then you knew my path - You did see all. You did see the way that I was treading, and all its darkness and dangers, implying here that God had made it an object to mark his course; to see what way out there might be—what way to escape from the danger. It was in no sense concealed from God, and no danger of the way was hidden from him. It means much to us to feel when we are in danger or difficulty that God knows it all, and that nothing can be hidden from him.

In the way where I walked - In my path; the path that I was treading.

Have they secretly laid a snare for me - They treated me as a man would treat his neighbor, who should spread a snare, or set a trap, for him in the path which he knew he must take. The word rendered “have secretly laid” means to hide, to conceal. It was so concealed that I could not perceive it. They did it unknown to me. I neither knew that it was laid, nor where it was laid. They meant to spring it upon me at a moment when I was not aware, and when I should be taken by surprise. It was not open and direct warfare; it was stealth, cunning, trick, art.

I looked on my right hand, and beheld - Margin: “Look on the right hand and see.” The words translated “looked” and “beheld” are in the imperative mood in the Hebrew. They are not, however, improperly rendered regarding their meaning.

They refer to David’s state of mind at the time and give vividness to the description. The psalmist seems to be in the presence of others. He calls upon them to look around, to see how he was encompassed by danger.

“Look,” he says, “in every direction; see who there is on whom I may rely; what there is to which I may trust as a refuge. I can find none; I see none; there is none.”

The “right hand” is referred to here as the direction where he might look for a protector (Psalms 109:6, Psalms 109:31).

But there was no man that would know me - No one was to be seen who would recognize me as his friend, who would stand up for me, or on whom I could rely.

Refuge failed me - Margin, as in Hebrew: “perished from me.” If there had been any hope of refuge, it has failed altogether. There is none now.

No man cared for my soul - Margin: “No man sought after my soul.” Hebrew, “after my life.” That is, no one sought to save my life; no one regarded it as of sufficient importance to attempt to preserve me.

I cried to you, O Lord - When there was no help; when I saw myself encompassed by dangers; when I looked on every side and there was no man who would act on my behalf.

I said, You are my refuge -

• My only refuge. I can go nowhere else.
• You are in fact my refuge. I can and do put my trust in you. See the notes at (Psalms 46:1).

And my portion - See the notes at (Psalms 16:5).

In the land of the living - Among all those that live—all living beings. There is no one else among the living to whom I can come but to you, the living God. My hope is not in human beings, for they are against me; not in angels, for they have not the power to rescue me. It is God only, the living God, whom I make my confidence and the ground of my hope.