Psalm 142:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

NASB: Look to the right and see; For there is no one who regards me favorably; There is no escape for me; No one cares for my soul.

CSB: Look to the right and see: no one stands up for me; there is no refuge for me; no one cares about me.

NLT: I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.

KJV: I 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.

NKJV: Look on my right hand and see, For there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul.

Psalm 142:3–4 expresses David's feelings. He is afraid because of the enemies who scheme to kill him. At the same time, he knows the Lord is aware of his situation. David feels alone and without help: there is no one standing at his right side, where an ally would normally be. He has nowhere truly safe to hide and feels as if he has no friends. This was inspired by one of two times when David was in a cave while hunted by Saul (1 Samuel 22:1; 24:2–3).

David calls for mercy and rescue from the Lord. This either refers to when David was forced to flee to a cave (1 Samuel 22:1) or when King Saul entered a cave in which he and his men were hiding (1 Samuel 24:2–3). David takes all his concerns to God. Enemies are looking for ways to kill David and he feels alone and friendless. Faced with a dire situation, he calls on God with confidence that the future brings the Lord's blessings.

While evading death at the hands of King Saul (1 Samuel 19:1–2), David spent time living in a cave (1 Samuel 22:1). Later, he was cornered in a cave when Saul unknowingly entered the cave in which David and his men were hiding in order to relieve himself (1 Samuel 24:2–3). Either of these experiences may have inspired David. It's possible this psalm was composed while David was living in a cave, and that but Psalm 57 was inspired by the tense moments before the encounter with Saul (Psalm 57:1–4). This song is labelled as a maskil, probably referring to a musical style (Psalm 32:1; 42:1; 44:1; 45:1; 52:1; 53:1; 54:1; 55:1; 74:1; 78:1; 88:1; 89:1).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 3/28/2025 12:41:31 PM