Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 142
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 142
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 142
"I cry with my voice unto Jehovah; With my voice unto Jehovah do I make supplication. I pour out my complaint before him; I show before him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walk Have they hidden a snare for me. Look on [my] right hand, and see; For there is no man that knoweth me: Refuge hath failed me; No man careth for my soul. I cried unto thee, O Jehovah; I said, Thou art my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. Attend unto my cry; For I am brought very low: Deliver me from my persecutors; For they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, That I may give thanks unto thy name: The righteous shall compass me about; For thou wilt deal bountifully with me. " — Psalms 142:1-7 (ASV)
There can be no situation so distressing or dangerous in which faith will not find comfort from God through prayer. We tend to focus too much on our troubles, dwelling on them, which does not help us. Instead, by presenting them to God, we can cast our cares upon Him who cares for us, and so ease ourselves. We should not allow ourselves to make any complaint, either to ourselves or to others, that we cannot also make to God.
When our spirits are overwhelmed by distress and filled with discouragement, and when we see snares laid for us on every side while we walk in His way, we can reflect with comfort that the Lord knows our path. Those who in sincerity take the Lord as their God find Him all-sufficient, as a Refuge and as a Portion: everything else is a refuge of lies and a portion of no value. In this situation, David prayed earnestly to God.
We can apply this spiritually: the souls of believers are often constrained by doubts and fears. It is then their duty and in their best interest to implore God to set them free, so that they may run in the way of His commandments. In this way, the Lord delivered David from his powerful persecutors and blessed him abundantly. In this way, He raised the crucified Redeemer to the throne of glory and made Him Head over all things for His church.
In this way, the convinced sinner cries for help and is brought to praise the Lord in the company of His redeemed people. And in this way, all believers will eventually be delivered from this evil world, from sin and death, and will praise their Savior forever.
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