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英文原文
This psalm is a prayer, the substance of which David offered up to God when he was forced by Saul to take shelter in a cave, and which he afterwards penned in this form. Here is, I. The complaint he makes to God (Ps 142:1,2) of the subtlety, strength, and malice, of his enemies (Ps 142:3,6), and the coldness and indifference of his friends, Ps 142:4. II. The comfort he takes in God that he knew his case (Ps 142:3) and was his refuge, Ps 142:5. III. His expectation from God that he would hear and deliver him, Ps 142:6,7. IV His expectation from the righteous that they would join with him in praises, Ps 142:7. Those that are troubled in mind, body, or estate, may, in singing this psalm (if they sing it in some measure with David's spirit), both warrant his complaints and fetch in his comforts.
1-3
David's Complaints
大卫的哀诉
大卫的训诲诗；他在洞中之时所作的祷告。
¹ 我发声哀告耶和华，发声恳求耶和华。
² 我在他面前吐露我的苦情，陈说我的患难。
³ 我的灵在我里面发昏的时候，你就知道我的道路。我所行的路上，他们暗设网罗为我。
大卫这祷告是在亚杜兰洞，还是在隐基底洞作的，并不重要；显而易见他正处在患难之中。如此伟大的战士、如此伟大的朝臣，竟要为自身安全这样东躲西藏，是极大的羞辱；如此被紧紧追逼、时刻面临死亡的威胁，又是极大的惊恐；然而那时他仍有此镇定的心志，能作这祷告；无论身在何处，他的信仰仍随他同在。祷告与眼泪是他的兵器；他不敢伸手攻击他的君主时，便向他的神举手。洞再深、再黑，我们仍能从中向神献上祷告、并在祷告中把灵魂献上。他称这祷告为Maschil——即训诲诗——因为他在洞中所学的好功课——在膝上学得的——是他愿意教导别人的。在这些经文里当留意——
一、大卫如何向神诉苦（诗142:1-2）。危险过去之后，他不以为耻地承认（正如伟人有时所作的）自己曾有的惊恐与对神的呼求。愿高位之人在受苦之时，不以为向神呼求、像孩子受惊时呼求父母那样呼求他，是任何贬损或羞辱。大卫吐露他的苦情——这表明是自由而充分的诉苦；他既详尽又具体。他的心满载苦情，却藉着在主前倾吐出来而得安然；他作这事极大火热：他用声音向耶和华呼求——以他心中的声音（有人如此认为），因为藏身洞中不敢出声，免得暴露自己；但心思的祷告对神仍是发声，他听见那不能或不敢说出的叹息（罗8:26）。大卫在此诉苦中向神敞开两件事：1. 他的困境。他把案情作为奏呈或纪念陈明：我在他面前陈说我的患难，并其中一切详情。他并非指示神，也并非如同神不知道而要他陈说才知道；而是作为信靠神、愿保持与他的相交、并完全把自己交托给他的人，他向他敞开心怀，谦卑地把案件摆在他面前，然后欣然把它留给他。我们常把自己的苦情向自己陈明得过多——夸大它、凝视它，这于我们无益；把它陈明给神，我们便可将忧虑卸给那顾念我们的，从而得安。我们对自己或对人所发的任何诉苦，若不能以相当的庄重与真诚的虔诚向神献上、并在他面前坚持，便不当容让。2. 他的愿望。他诉苦之时，也恳求（诗142:1）——不是把救济当作债务来讨，而是谦卑地作为恩惠来求。诉苦者当作恳求者，因为神要人求他。
二、他所诉的是什么：我所行的路上——毫无戒心——他们暗设网罗为我——为要陷害我。扫罗把女儿米甲给大卫，本意就是要她作他的网罗（撒上18:21）。他向神抱怨这一点：每一件事都是针对性而行的。他若偏离本路而遇网罗，应怪自己；但当他在本分之路上遇见网罗时，他便可以谦卑的胆量向神禀告。
三、在这些诉苦之中他所得的安慰（诗142:3）：我的灵在我里面发昏的时候——几乎要在忧愁与恐惧的重担下下沉——当我完全不知所措、几乎绝望之时，那时你知道我的道路——即那时我想到你是知道的，便觉安慰。你知道我的真诚——我所行的正路——我并非如我逼迫者所描绘的那种人。你知道我境况的一切详情；当我的灵如此发昏，不能清楚陈明时，这安慰了我：你知道（伯23:10）。你知道——即你保护、保存、保全了它（诗31:7；申2:7）。
英文原文
David's Complaints
Maschil of David. A prayer when he was in the cave.
¹ I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
² I poured out my complaint before him; I showed before him my trouble.
³ When 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.
Whether it was in the cave of Adullam, or that of Engedi, that David prayed this prayer, is not material; it is plain that he was in distress. It was a great disgrace to so great a soldier, so great a courtier, to be put to such shifts for his own safety, and a great terror to be so hotly pursued and every moment in expectation of death; yet then he had such a presence of mind as to pray this prayer, and, wherever he was, still had his religion about him. Prayers and tears were his weapons, and, when he durst not stretch forth his hands against his prince, he lifted them up to his God. There is no cave so deep, so dark, but we may out of it send up our prayers, and our souls in prayer, to God. He calls this prayer Maschil—a psalm of instruction, because of the good lessons he had himself learnt in the cave, learnt on his knees, which he desired to teach others. In these verses observe,
I. How David complained to God, Ps 142:1,2. When the danger was over he was not ashamed to own (as great spirits sometimes are) the fright he had been in and the application he had made to God. Let no men of the first rank think it any diminution or disparagement to them, when they are in affliction, to cry to God, and to cry like children to their parents when any thing frightens them. David poured out his complaint, which denotes a free and full complaint; he was copious and particular in it. His heart was as full of his grievances as it could hold, but he made himself easy by pouring them out before the Lord; and this he did with great fervency: He cried unto the Lord with his voice, with the voice of his mind (so some think), for, being hidden in the cave, he durst not speak with an audible voice, lest that should betray him; but mental prayer is vocal to God, and he hears the groanings which cannot, or dare not, be uttered, Ro 8:26. Two things David laid open to God, in this complaint:—1. His distress. He exhibited a remonstrance or memorial of his case: I showed before him my trouble, and all the circumstances of it. He did not prescribe to God, nor show him his trouble, as if God did not know it without his showing; but as one that put a confidence in God, desired to keep up communion with him, and was willing to refer himself entirely to him, he unbosomed himself to him, humbly laid the matter before him, and then cheerfully left it with him. We are apt to show our trouble too much to ourselves, aggravating it, and poring upon it, which does us no service, whereas by showing it to God we might cast the care upon him who careth for us, and thereby ease ourselves. Nor should we allow of any complaint to ourselves or others which we cannot with due decency and sincerity of devotion make to God, and stand to before him. 2. His desire. When he made his complaint he made his supplication (Ps 142:1), not claiming relief as a debt, but humbly begging it as a favour. Complainants must be suppliants, for God will be sought unto.
II. What he complained of: "In the way wherein I walked, suspecting no danger, have they privily laid a snare for me, to entrap me." Saul gave Michal his daughter to David on purpose that she might be a snare to him, 1Sa 18:21. This he complains of to God, that every thing was done with a design against him. If he had gone out of his way, and met with snares, he might have thanked himself; but when he met with them in the way of his duty he might with humble boldness tell God of them.
III. What comforted him in the midst of these complaints (Ps 142:3): "When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, and ready to sink under the burden of grief and fear, when I was quite at a loss and ready to despair, then thou knewest my path, that is, then it was a pleasure to me to think that thou knewest it. Thou knewest my sincerity, the right path which I have walked in, and that I am not such a one as my persecutors represent me. Thou knewest my condition in all the particulars of it; when my spirit was so overwhelmed that I could not distinctly show it, this comforted me, that thou knewest it, Job 23:10. Thou knewest it, that is, thou didst protect, preserve, and secure it," Ps 31:7, De 2:7.
4-7
Complaints and Petitions
哀诉与祈求
⁴ 我向右边观看，观看，却无人认识我；我无处避难，也无人顾念我的灵魂。
⁵ 耶和华啊，我曾呼求你；我说：你是我的避难所，在活人之地你是我的份。
⁶ 求你侧耳听我的呼求；因我落到极卑微的地步；求你救我脱离逼迫我的人；因为他们比我强盛。
⁷ 求你领我的魂出离监牢，好使我称赞你的名；义人必环绕我，因为你用厚恩待我。
诗人在此为教训我们而告诉我们：1. 他如何被朋友否认和丢弃（诗142:4）。当他在朝廷得宠之时，似乎人脉甚广；但当他被列为通缉犯，任何人收留他都有危险之时（亚希米勒的命运可证），那时便「无人认识他」，人人都回避他。他「向右边观看」，指望一位代求者（诗109:31），指望某个朋友替他说句好话；但是，自从约拿单为他出头几乎赔上性命之后，再无人肯冒险为他清白辩护，人人都准备说「我对这事一无所知」。他四围张望，看有谁肯为他开门；但是「无处避难」。他一切旧友，没有一个肯留他过夜，或指给他一个隐密安全之处。多少善人被这种「燕子之友」所欺骗——冬天一到便飞走了！大卫的性命极其宝贵，然而当他被不义地通缉之时，「无人顾念」，也没有人肯为他保护之举伸出一指。在此他是基督的预表——基督为我们受苦之时，被一切人，连他自己的门徒也都丢弃，独自踹酒榨；因为「无人帮助，无人扶持」（赛63:5）。2. 他那时如何在 神里面寻得满足（诗142:5）。亲爱的人和朋友远远站着，向他们呼喊也是徒然。「但是，」他说：「耶和华啊，我曾呼求你！」你认识我，又顾念我——当别人都不肯之时；你也不像人那样在我被弃之时失败丢弃；因为 神的爱是恒久的。大卫告诉我们他在洞中对 神所说的话：「你是我的避难所，在活人之地你是我的份」；我仰赖你如此作我的避难所——救我脱离苦境；作我的份——使我得福乐。我所处的洞不过是可怜的避难所。「主啊，你的名是我所逃入的『坚固台』。」你是「我的避难所」——惟独在你里面我才看自己为安全。我所盼望的冠冕不过是可怜的份；除非我知道「耶和华是我产业的份，是我杯中的份」，我永不能看自己为得着妥善预备。凡真诚以主为 神的人，必发现他作为避难所和作为份，都是全足的；因此，没有任何恶能害他们，也没有任何善会缺乏；并且他们可以谦卑地认领自己的权益：「主啊，你是我的避难所，我的份；别的都是谎言的避难所、虚无的份。你是『在活人之地』如此作」——就是当我活着、有气息之时，无论在此世或在更美的家乡。 神里面有足够的丰富，足以应付这现今一切的需要。我们活在一个充满危险与缺乏的世界；但 神若作我们的避难所，我们有何危险可惧？他若作我们的份，我们有何缺乏可忧？惟独天上才配称为「活人之地」，那里对一切信徒而言，既是避难所，又是产业。3. 他在这种满足中如何到 神面前来（诗142:5-6）：「主啊，求你恩惠地『侧耳听我的呼求』——我苦难的呼求、我恳求的呼求，因为我落到极卑微的地步，你若不帮助我，我便要全然沉沦。主啊，求你『救我脱离逼迫我的人』，或绑住他们的手，或改变他们的心，或挫折他们的力量，或破坏他们的计谋，或拦阻他们，或拯救我，因为他们比我强盛，你站在最弱的一边，是你当得的尊荣。求你救我脱离他们，否则我必被他们毁坏，因为我自己还不是他们的对手。主啊，『求你领我的魂出离监牢』，不仅把我从这洞中平安带出，更把我从一切困惑中带出。」我们可将这应用在属灵之事上：善人的灵魂常常被疑惑和恐惧所束缚，因信心的软弱和肉体的胜过而被捆绑；那时他们的本分和利益，就是到 神面前来，求他释放他们、扩充他们的心，使他们「奔跑他命令的道」。4. 他何等盼望他的拯救能归于 神的荣耀。（1）借着他自己的感恩——他现在的哀诉到那时必转为感恩：「求你领我的魂出离监牢，不是为叫我享受自己和朋友、安逸度日，也不是为叫我保全我的国家，乃是『好使我称赞你的名』。」这一点我们在一切求 神拯救脱离患难的祷告中，都当存记在心：求你叫我们有赞美 神的机会，并使我们活着为赞美他。属世怜悯的最大安慰，就是它们为我们提供了那极美之工——赞美之工的题材，并赐我们机会去行。 （2）借着多人代替他献上的感恩（林后1:11）：「我得以释放之时，义人必环绕我」；「他们必因我的事业为你作赞美的冠冕」（迦勒底译本如此）。他们必聚集到我这里来，为我的拯救向我道贺，听我的经历，并从我领受训诲；他们必环绕我，与我一同献上感恩，「因为你用厚恩待了我」。请注意，别人所得的怜悯，当成为我们向 神赞美的内容；而别人代替我们献上的赞美，我们既当渴慕，也当因之喜乐。
英文原文
Complaints and Petitions
⁴ 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.
⁵ I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
⁶ Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
⁷ Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
The psalmist here tells us, for our instruction, 1. How he was disowned and deserted by his friends, Ps 142:4. When he was in favour at court he seemed to have a great interest, but when he was made an out-law, and it was dangerous for any one to harbour him (witness Ahimelech's fate), then no man would know him, but every body was shy of him. He looked on his right hand for an advocate (Ps 109:31), some friend or other to speak a good word for him; but, since Jonathan's appearing for him had like to have cost him his life, nobody was willing to venture in defence of his innocency, but all were ready to say they knew nothing of the matter. He looked round to see if any would open their doors to him; but refuge failed him. None of all his old friends would give him a night's lodging, or direct him to any place of secresy and safety. How many good men have been deceived by such swallow-friends, who are gone when winter comes! David's life was exceedingly precious, and yet, when he was unjustly proscribed, no man cared for it, nor would move a hand for the protection of it. Herein he was a type of Christ, who, in his sufferings for us, was forsaken of all men, even of his own disciples, and trod the wine-press alone, for there was none to help, none to uphold, Isa 63:5. 2. How he then found satisfaction in God, Ps 142:5. Lovers and friends stood aloof from him, and it was in vain to call to them. "But," said he, "I cried unto thee, O Lord! who knowest me, and carest for me, when none else will, and wilt not fail me nor forsake me when men do;" for God is constant in his love. David tells us what he said to God in the cave: "Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living; I depend upon thee to be so, my refuge to save me from being miserable, my portion to make me happy. The cave I am in is but a poor refuge. Lord, thy name is the strong tower that I run into. Thou art my refuge, in whom alone I shall think myself safe. The crown I am in hopes of is but a poor portion; I can never think myself well provided for till I know that the Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup." Those who in sincerity take the Lord for their God shall find him all-sufficient both as a refuge and as a portion, so that, as no evil shall hurt them, so no good shall be wanting to them; and they may humbly claim their interest: "Lord, thou art my refuge and my portion; every thing else is a refuge of lies and a portion of no value. Thou art so in the land of the living, that is, while I live and have my being, whether in this world or in a better." There is enough in God to answer all the necessities of this present time. We live in a world of dangers and wants; but what danger need we fear if God is our refuge, or what wants if he be our portion? Heaven, which alone deserves to be called the land of the living, will be to all believers both a refuge and a portion. 3. How, in this satisfaction, he addressed himself to God (Ps 142:5,6): "Lord, give a gracious ear to my cry, the cry of my affliction, the cry of my supplication, for I am brought very low, and, if thou help me not, I shall be quite sunk. Lord, deliver me from my persecutors, either tie their hands or turn their hearts, break their power or blast their projects, restrain them or rescue me, for they are stronger than I, and it will be thy honour to take part with the weakest. Deliver me from them, or I shall be ruined by them, for I am not yet myself a match for them. Lord, bring my soul out of prison, not only bring me safe out of this cave, but bring me out of all my perplexities." We may apply it spiritually: the souls of good men are often straitened by doubts and fears, cramped and fettered through the weakness of faith and the prevalency of corruption; and it is then their duty and interest to apply themselves to God, and beg of him to set them at liberty and to enlarge their hearts, that they may run the way of his commandments. 4. How much he expected his deliverance would redound to the glory of God. (1.) By his own thanksgivings, into which his present complaints would then be turned: "Bring my soul out of prison, not that I may enjoy myself and my friends and live at ease, no, nor that I may secure my country, but that I may praise thy name." This we should have an eye to, in all our prayers to God for deliverance out of trouble, that we may have occasion to praise God and may live to his praise. This is the greatest comfort of temporal mercies that they furnish us with matter, and give us opportunity, for the excellent duty of praise. (2.) By the thanksgivings of many on his behalf (2Co 1:11): "When I am enlarged the righteous shall encompass me about; for my cause they shall make thee a crown of praise, so the Chaldee. They shall flock about me to congratulate me on my deliverance, to hear my experiences, and to receive (Maschil) instructions from me; they shall encompass me, to join with me in my thanksgivings, because thou shalt have dealt bountifully with me." Note, The mercies of others ought to be the matter of our praises to God; and the praises of others, on our behalf, ought to be both desired and rejoiced in by us.
本篇是祷告,是大卫被扫罗迫而藏身于洞中之时向神所献上,后来又以这形式写下者。本篇结构如下:一、他向神所发的抱怨(诗142:1,2)——论仇敌的诡诈、势力与恶意(诗142:3,6),以及朋友的冷淡与漠然(诗142:4);二、他在神里所得的安慰——神知道他的案情(诗142:3),且是他的避难所(诗142:5);三、他对神的指望——神必听他、救他(诗142:6,7);四、他对义人的指望——他们必与他同献赞美(诗142:7)。内心、身体或境遇受困的人,若以大卫的灵在某种程度上唱这首诗,便可证其抱怨为正当,并得着其中的安慰。