The Meaning of Psalms 142:4 Explained

Psalms 142:4

KJV: 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.

YLT: Looking on the right hand -- and seeing, And I have none recognizing; Perished hath refuge from me, There is none inquiring for my soul.

Darby: Look on the right hand and see; there is no man that knoweth me: refuge hath failed me; no man careth for my soul.

ASV: Look on my right hand, and see; For there is no man that knoweth me: Refuge hath failed me; No man careth for my soul.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 142:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 142:1-7 - "no Man Cared For My Soul"
The cave was dark and shared by rough and lawless men with whom David had little sympathy. His gentle and devout spirit must often have craved for more congenial society. But he never ceased to cry and make supplication whenever his spirit was overwhelmed. Are you in that plight? Be comforted by the reflection that God knows your path. It is the predestined way, Ephesians 2:10. Before the heavens or earth were made it was prepared. God foreknew all its perplexities and difficulties-how dark the shadows, how fearsome the black current-but He chose it as your best way home. Are all faces averted? Does no one seem to care? Is your soul in prison, and are your persecutors strong? Be of good cheer! Reinforcements of divine grace are on their way; the righteous shall crown themselves because of you; and you will say with your dying breath, "He has dealt bountifully with me." [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 142

1  David shows that in his trouble all his comfort was in prayer unto God

What do the individual words in Psalms 142:4 mean?

Look on [my] right hand and see for [there is] no one me who acknowledges has failed Refuge me No one cares for my soul
הַבֵּ֤יט יָמִ֨ין ׀ וּרְאֵה֮ וְאֵֽין־ לִ֪י מַ֫כִּ֥יר אָבַ֣ד מָנ֣וֹס מִמֶּ֑נִּי אֵ֖ין דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ לְנַפְשִֽׁי

הַבֵּ֤יט  Look 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: נָבַט  
Sense: to look, regard.
יָמִ֨ין ׀  on  [my]  right  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָמִין  
Sense: right, right hand, right side.
וּרְאֵה֮  and  see 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְאֵֽין־  for  [there  is]  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
לִ֪י  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
מַ֫כִּ֥יר  who  acknowledges 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָכַר 
Sense: to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard.
אָבַ֣ד  has  failed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
מָנ֣וֹס  Refuge 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָנׄוס  
Sense: flight, refuge, place of escape.
מִמֶּ֑נִּי  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
אֵ֖ין  No  one 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ  cares 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
לְנַפְשִֽׁי  for  my  soul 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.