Discovery BoxPsalms 142:1 
ContextA well-written song 2 by David, when he was in the cave; 3 a prayer.
142:1 To the Lord I cry out; 4
to the Lord I plead for mercy. 5
Psalms 142:3
Context142:3 Even when my strength leaves me, 6
you watch my footsteps. 7
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
1 sn Psalm 142. The psalmist laments his persecuted state and asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies.
2 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.
3 sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm while in “the cave.” This probably refers to either the incident recorded in 1 Sam 22:1 or to the one recorded in 1 Sam 24:3. See the superscription of Ps 57.
4 tn Heb “[with] my voice to the
5 tn Heb “[with] my voice to the
6 tn Heb “my spirit grows faint.”
7 tn Heb “you know my path.”
