What does Psalms Chapter 142 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The inscription names Absalom’s pursuit. Trouble, remembered works and dry-earth soul lead to mercy requests. Teaching and future right-land guidance remain distinct.

Chapter breakdown

Domine, exaudi is the incipit and the heading names tribulation-delivery prayer and seventh penitential psalm. The inscription names David when son Absalom pursued, referring to 2 Kings 17; a particular Jerusalem-to-wilderness journey is not added. He asks prayer heard in truth and justice and no judgment with servant, saying no living man shall be justified in God’s sight. The statement remains attributed without a new personal-merit theory.

Enemy persecuted soul, brought life earthward and caused darkness like ancient dead; spirit anguish and heart trouble follow. He remembered old days, meditated all works and handworks and stretched hands, soul as waterless earth. This is not a proved psychological recovery mechanism.

He asks speedy hearing with fainted spirit and face not turned lest like pit-descenders, mercy heard in morning because hoped and walking way known because soul lifted. He asks enemy delivery, having fled to God, and teaching to do will. Good spirit shall lead right land; for name’s sake God will quicken in justice, bring soul from trouble and in mercy destroy enemies and cut afflicters because he is servant. These are future assertions and requests, not an achieved safe journey or an added causal requirement of doctrinal submission.

The story inside

Opening: The inscription names Absalom’s pursuit. Development: Trouble, remembered works and dry-earth soul lead to mercy requests. Conclusion: Teaching and future right-land guidance remain distinct.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The inscription names Absalom’s pursuit.
2
Trouble, remembered works and dry-earth soul lead to mercy requests.
3
Teaching and future right-land guidance remain distinct.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 66822–66827
142:1. A psalm of David, when his son Absalom pursued him. [2 Kings 17.] Hear, O Lord, my prayer: give ear to my supplication in thy truth: hear me in thy justice. 142:2. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight no man living shall be justified.
Lines 66836–66840
142:5. I remembered the days of old, I meditated on all thy works: I meditated upon the works of thy hands. 142:6. I stretched forth my hands to thee: my soul is as earth without water unto thee.
Lines 66846–66853
142:8. Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for in thee have I hoped. Make the way known to me, wherein I should walk: for I have lifted up my soul to thee. 142:9. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, to thee have I fled: 142:10. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. Thy good spirit shall lead me into the right land: