Tehilim Perek 142

Hello everybody. Today’s NachDaily will discuss Tehilim chapter 142.

This perek corresponds to what happened with Dovid in Shmuel Aleph, perek 24, when he had a close encounter with Shaul while hiding in a cave. Dovid had heard Shaul entering the cave, and quickly scurried deeper into its depths so as not to be found. Shaul unknowingly spent the night in the same cave as Dovid. The very next morning, Dovid, having escaped death once again, made it known that he had almost been caught by Shaul. He composed this prayer while seized with the fear of death. When you’re trapped from all sides, there’s only one thing left to do…pray!

Dovid pleads with God to save him. No matter where I find myself, people try to kill me. I have no place to go, no-one to help me. God, please be my refuge. Listen to my prayer. Release my soul, and I will pronounce You as the King of the world.

Pessukim 2 and 3 say:

ק֭וֹלִי אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֶזְעָ֑ק ק֝וֹלִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃ אֶשְׁפֹּ֣ךְ לְפָנָ֣יו שִׂיחִ֑י צָ֝רָתִ֗י לְפָנָ֥יו אַגִּֽיד׃

I cry aloud to God. I appeal to God loudly for mercy. I pour out my complaint before Him; I lay my trouble before Him

Just a few words of encouragement: We see in these two pessukim how genuinely Dovid actually poured his heart out in personal prayer. He used 4 expressions for Tefilah: Ezak, I cry; Eschanan, I ask for God’s mercy; Eshpoch, I pour out my words; ‘agid, I speak.’

Dovid’s private conversations with his Creator make up the general theme of Tehilim.

Tefilah doesn’t just mean the standard 3x times a day of davening. Sure, we need to do that, but did we connect to God? Did we speak to Him and not just mumble the words?

How much do we need to strengthen ourselves in the area of personal prayer, to talk to God about everything no matter how big or small! We need to tell Him what’s on our minds and speak to Him like a friend in our own natural language.

I often wonder, at the end of the day, how it’s possible to have a relationship with someone to whom we don’t speak. We can’t! Its virtually impossible to cultivate a relationship with someone without speaking to them!

How real is our relationship with God? Do we speak to the Creator once in a while? How about every day?

May we merit taking 5 minutes outside of our standardized Tefilah when everyone is sleeping, to sit by ourselves with no cell phone, sefarim or any other distraction, and simply speak to God.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.