Psalm 142:1 kjv
I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
Psalm 142:1 nkjv
A Contemplation of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cry out to the LORD with my voice; With my voice to the LORD I make my supplication.
Psalm 142:1 niv
A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer. I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.
Psalm 142:1 esv
With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.
Psalm 142:1 nlt
I cry out to the LORD;
I plead for the LORD's mercy.
Psalm 142 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 18:6 | In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. | Cry to God in distress |
| Psa 34:4 | I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. | God answers and delivers |
| Psa 50:15 | Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. | Command to call on God in trouble |
| Psa 62:5 | For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. | Sole hope found in God |
| Psa 77:1 | I cried aloud to God, aloud to God, and he heard me. | Fervent cry to God, heard |
| Psa 86:7 | In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you will answer me. | Calling in trouble with confident faith |
| Psa 91:15 | When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble... | God's promise to answer calls |
| Psa 116:1-2 | I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice... He inclined his ear to me. | God inclines His ear to a desperate voice |
| Psa 118:5 | Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me... | Distress call answered by God's expanse |
| Psa 120:1 | In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. | Call from distress answered |
| Psa 130:1 | Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! | Deep distress leading to crying out |
| Psa 145:18 | The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. | God is near those who call |
| Lam 3:55-56 | I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit; you heard my plea. | Crying from depths, heard plea |
| Jon 2:2 | I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me. | Distress call from deep trouble answered |
| Isa 65:24 | Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. | God's immediate readiness to hear |
| Joel 2:32 | Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. | Salvation by calling on the LORD |
| Rom 10:13 | For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." | New Testament confirmation of calling on Lord |
| Act 2:21 | ...everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. | Peter's sermon, calling on the Lord |
| Php 4:6 | ...let your requests be made known to God. | Encourage direct prayer and requests |
| Heb 4:16 | Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy... | Confident approach for grace and mercy |
| Jas 5:13 | Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. | Instruction to pray in suffering |
| 1 Sam 22:1 | David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. | David's historical context in a cave |
| 1 Sam 24:3 | ...and David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. | David in the cave, facing peril |
Psalm 142 verses
Psalm 142 1 Meaning
Psalm 142:1 expresses the intense, desperate, and singular plea of a distressed individual directed exclusively towards the LORD. It signifies a fervent and earnest prayer, shouted aloud, from the depths of anguish, seeking divine favor and compassion when all human help is unavailable or has failed. It is an unreserved cry of dependence on God alone for salvation.
Psalm 142 1 Context
Psalm 142 is a Maskil, or "a contemplative or didactic poem," attributed to David, explicitly described as "A Prayer when he was in the cave." This likely refers to David's periods of hiding from King Saul, specifically in the Cave of Adullam (1 Sam 22) or the Cave of Engedi (1 Sam 24). During these times, David was a fugitive, isolated, hunted, and had nowhere else to turn for human aid. The cave symbolizes his profound distress, vulnerability, and feelings of abandonment by others. The psalm captures his raw, honest cry to God in utter desperation, demonstrating his unwavering faith in the LORD as his only refuge and hope when facing overwhelming odds.
Psalm 142 1 Word analysis
- I cry aloud: This phrase conveys immense urgency and fervor. The Hebrew, Qolî el YHWH eqra (My voice to the LORD I call out), indicates an intense, not whispered, sound. Eqra (אֶקְרָא) implies a summons, a strong and insistent call, demanding attention. It's a prayer born of extreme distress, highlighting the depth of his need and the earnestness of his appeal to the living God.
- to the LORD: The Hebrew term is YHWH (יהוה), the covenant name of God. This specifies that the cry is directed not to just any deity, but to the sovereign, covenant-keeping God of Israel. It implies an appeal based on God's character, promises, and His proven faithfulness to His people, establishing a deeply personal and trust-filled relationship in prayer.
- I lift up my voice: A reinforcing phrase, indicating the earnestness of the prayer. In Hebrew, Qolî el YHWH 'ethnchanan (My voice to the LORD I plead for grace/mercy). This parallelism emphasizes the sincerity and volume of the prayer. It’s an act of intense devotion and direct communication with God, leaving no room for doubt about where his hope lies.
- for mercy: The Hebrew word 'ethnchanan (אֶתְחַנָּן) specifically means "I plead for grace," "I make supplication for favor," or "I seek compassion." It highlights that David's request is not a demand based on his own merit, but a humble petition for God's undeserved kindness and compassion. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty in bestowing grace.
- I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy: This entire phrase forms a synonymous parallelism, a common poetic device in Psalms. The repetition reinforces the singularity and intensity of David's prayer. Both clauses convey the same profound act of urgent prayer directed to the same Divine Being. It communicates a double assurance of calling upon God and an exclusive reliance on Him. The very structure emphasizes desperation, authenticity, and single-minded focus on divine intervention and favor.
Psalm 142 1 Bonus section
- The raw emotionality expressed in this verse confirms that honest, fervent cries of distress are an authentic form of biblical prayer, not requiring polite or formalized language.
- The Psalm's setting in a "cave" profoundly influences its content, intensifying the sense of confinement, darkness, and danger, which makes the desperate plea to the transcendent LORD even more striking. It shows God as one who is accessible even in the most physically confining and existentially isolating circumstances.
- As a "Maskil," the psalm teaches a pattern for others to follow in their own suffering: When all earthly refuge fails, the LORD remains the one constant and powerful helper to whom one should turn with wholehearted abandon.
Psalm 142 1 Commentary
Psalm 142:1 lays bare the soul of a believer overwhelmed by trouble, yet firmly committed to seeking divine aid. It models prayer that is direct, vocal, and exclusive in its focus on the LORD. The psalmist's "crying aloud" and "lifting up his voice" are not mere figures of speech but portray the sheer force of his need and the absolute lack of alternatives. This prayer for "mercy" reveals humility and dependence, acknowledging God's grace as the only sufficient resource in a desperate situation. This verse invites all who are oppressed or isolated to pour out their hearts without reserve to God, trusting that He hears and responds to the desperate pleas of His children. For example, when one faces insurmountable difficulties, feeling alone and without any earthly support, this verse offers a pattern: not to retreat into despair, but to vehemently call out to the LORD alone, appealing to His sovereign compassion.