Psalms
Chapter 142
2
Cry Aloud To the Lord
I cry aloud to the Lord, in a loud voice I beseech the Lord.
3
Before him, I pour out my sorrows; before him, I lay bare my troubles;
4
and my spirit grows faint. But you know my path.Along the way I walk, they have hidden a trap for me.
5
Look to my right and see: no one recognizes me. I have lost all means of escape; no one wants to help me.
6
I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
7
Listen to my groaning, for I am in deep despair. Rescue me from my pursuers, for they are too strong for me.
8
O, set me free from captivity, that I may praise your name! Then, the righteous will gather about me, when they see that you took care of me.
Commentaries
142
Everyone encounters failure at some point: the feeling of desolation when things go wrong, when friends fail, when all escape routes seem blocked, and we have nowhere to turn except inward. Yet, we discover that there is always God, who knows and cares. This psalm is especially relevant to the passion of Christ, and it is said that St. Francis of Assisi prayed it as he was dying.
Jesus declares himself to be ‘the Way’ (Jn 14:6), leading to the land of the living (cf. Jn 14:2). We pray with this psalm, united with those who are on the journey and also with those who feel exhausted because of its difficulties.
Many of us will, at some point, feel as desperate as the psalmist, with no one to turn to for help. In these moments, he turns to our Heavenly Father as the only source of comfort and aid. Even Jesus experienced this same agonizing situation during his passion, and he called out to his Father.