1Com a minha voz clamei ao Senhor, com a minha voz suppliquei ao Senhor.
2Derramei a minha queixa perante a sua face; expuz-lhe a minha angustia.
3Quando o meu espirito estava angustiado em mim, então conheceste a minha vereda: no caminho em que eu andava, esconderam-me um laço.
4Olhei para a minha direita, e vi; mas não havia quem me conhecesse: refugio me faltou, ninguem cuidou da minha alma.
5A ti, ó Senhor, clamei; disse: Tu és o meu refugio, e a minha porção na terra dos viventes.
6Attende ao meu clamor; porque estou muito abatido: livra-me dos meus perseguidores; porque são mais fortes do que eu.
7Tira a minha alma da prisão, para que louve o teu nome; os justos me rodearão, pois me fizeste bem.
📖 Chapter study
Summary
A desperate prayer from someone hiding in a cave, feeling completely alone and without refuge, crying out to God as his only portion and asking to be brought out of the 'prison' of his distress.
Explanation
The Hebrew title of this psalm links it directly to the period when David hid from Saul in a cave (likely Adullam or En-gedi, recorded in 1 Samuel 22 or 24), one of the most vulnerable moments of his life before becoming king. The statement 'no man cared for my soul' (v. 4) expresses radical loneliness, making it all the more significant that, even in this total isolation, the psalmist still chooses to cry out to God as his refuge. The application for today is that feeling completely alone does not mean actually being abandoned — even in the deepest solitude, it is possible to turn to God as a secure portion.
Fun facts
- The original title links this psalm to the period when David hid in a cave fleeing from Saul, an episode recorded in 1 Samuel 22:1 (the cave of Adullam) or 24:3 (En-gedi).
- The expression 'bring my soul out of prison' (v. 7) is likely metaphorical, referring to distress as an emotional prison rather than a literal physical one.