Thy Strong Word – Psalm 142: With ☧ at Cave Bottom, Faint Spirit to Arise

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Rev. Kevin Parviz, pastor of Congregation Chai v’Shalom in St. Louis, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 142.

“When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.” David didn’t always feel the Spirit powerfully guiding his every move; sometimes he felt alone and uncertain. Much darker than Psalm 57, Psalm 142 offers a lamentation from the bottom of David’s soul, providing a way for God’s people later to make sense of the spiritual caves we find ourselves in. Even when we see no son of David reigning on the throne, we are consoled by David’s Son and Lord Christ, who knows our loneliness. Together, we all call out for resurrection, when we will no longer be surrounded by traps—when “the righteous will surround me.”

Underwriter of Thy Strong Word

Thy Strong Word is a daily in-depth study of the books of the Bible with host Rev. AJ Espinosa and guest pastors from across the country. Thy Strong Word is graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation and produced by the LCMS Office of National Mission.

Psalm 142

You Are My Refuge

A Maskil[a] of David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.

142 With my voice I cry out to the Lord;
with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
2 I pour out my complaint before him;
I tell my trouble before him.

3 When my spirit faints within me,
you know my way!
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see:
there is none who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
no one cares for my soul.

5 I cry to you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
6 Attend to my cry,
for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me!
7 Bring me out of prison,
that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
for you will deal bountifully with me.

Footnotes

Psalm 142:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term