Psalm 142 · a question people ask
"Bring my soul out of prison" (142:7). Was the psalmist in a prison?
The psalm doesn't say. Its title places him "in the cave" (142:1), and 1 Samuel's accounts of David in the caves speak of no prison (1 Samuel 22:1-2, 24:1-3). Prison is masger (tap prison), and this is the only time the Psalms have the word. The psalm doesn't say whether it means the cave, a prison or something else, and these notes don't choose. What it does say is why it asks: "that I may give thanks to your name" (142:7).
The verses
“A contemplation by David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer. I cry with my voice to the LORD. With my voice, I ask the LORD for mercy.”
“Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will be good to me.”
“David therefore departed from there and escaped to Adullam’s cave. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them. There were with him about four hundred men.”
“When Saul had returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.” Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats. He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in the innermost parts of the cave.”