Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 142:5

"I cried unto thee, O Jehovah; I said, Thou art my refuge, My portion in the land of the living." — Psalms 142:5 (ASV)

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.