Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 142
The cxlii. PSALM.
David shut up in the cave at Engeddi by an in raged multitude, layes seidge to God by servent and incessant prayer, who (he confesseth) saved him by his wisdom and contrivance when his own had almost undone him. He sheweth his heart made some excursions toward the creature, but in vain, and quickly with-called it self, and betook it again to God, as to all that was left him, and therefore presseth hard upon him for deliverance particular and generall, that he and the righteous may once be acquainted that now are strangers, and may joyntly praise him.
Davids instruction to the faithfull in time of extremity to pray as he did, Psalm cxlii. Mas…hil of David; a p…ayer when he was in the cave.when he was hid in the cave of Engeddi, begirt with Sauls Army.
1 AS was mine extremity,1I cried unto the Lord with my voice: with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication. so was mineimportunity, I was hard beset, and I beset God as hard, incessantly urging my condition upon him, again and again iterating it in his ears, so that I gave him no rest whilest my danger lasted.
2I poured out my complaint before him, I shewed before him my trouble.2 I made my moan unto him how injuriously my life was sought, for him to right me, and how my danger increased to a very crisis, for him to relieve me, shewed him how nothing humanely was betwixt me and utter destruction, if he interposed not, death was unavoidable.
3When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path: in the way wherein I walked, have they privily laid a snare for me.3 When I was at my wits end, and knew no way to escape, when I thought this thing and that thing, but saw safety in nothing that I could imagine, then hadst thou designed the way of my deliverance, how I should come out of that so eminent perill, else I could never have been preserved, for that which I took to be my safest course, there to hide my self in the wilderness of Engeddi, proved of all other my greatest dangers, mine enemies were too cunning for me, and all the shift I could make, and by their subtility and secrecy had certainly surprized me, hadst not thou mightily prevented it.
4I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me, refuge failed me: no man cared for my soul.4 I ruminated with my self, and thought (as men in such cases are apt sometimes to hope and sometimes to fear) that sure this or the other man would intercede to Saul for me, and stand up in the defence of mine innocency to save my life, and that I had some friends and acquaintance yet left me, that would appear for me in such a time of need, but there was none, all were against me, not a man for me, all sought my ruin, none pitied my case, nor offered to speak a word in my behalf, when my life lay at stake, so utterly destitute was I, and humanely helpless.
5I cried unto thee, O Lord, I said, thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living.5 My last and best refuge was therefore to thee, O Lord, whom I earnestly beseeched to be helpfull to me in that so great extremity, shewed thee how all helps else failed me, that thou onelyonly and alone wast left me to flie to, and hope in, who art the stay and strength of mine heart, my never-failing deliverer, and how that being stript of all interest and propriety in the promised land, and all in it (as if I were an utter stranger and no Israelite) nothing is left me but thy self, a naked God in promise is all my part and portion therein.
6 Lord,6Attend unto my cry for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutours, for they are stronger than I. forget not thy servant that is so mindfull of thee, whose all in all thou art, but make this mine extremity thine opportunity, hear me effectually that cry unto thee ardently, as mine extremity enforceth me to do, having as it were one foot within the door of death, never man was nearer it and scape, be thou that art Almighty my powerfull deliverer from my potent enemies, and bloudy persecutours, that so surround me, and so far surpass me.
7 Deliver me from out this present danger and inclusion,7Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about: for thou shalt deal bountifully with me. yea, put a finall end to my persecution, whereby my life is held in continuall danger, and set me at liberty from the oppressing power of mine enemie, that as thy free-man (when freed) I may glorifie thee, thy power and goodness that hath done so great things for me. And then shall the good and well-meaning people (though now misled too many of them) flock about me with admiration and praise of thy wonderfull works in my strange, manifold, and manifest deliverances, by the good hand of God to me, which shall clearly shew it self to the conviction of all, that I am the man which under thee must rule over them, as Christ over his Church.