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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.
Psalms 142:7 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will be good to me.
  • BSB Free my soul from prison, that I may praise Your name. The righteous will gather around me because of Your goodness to me.
  • NKJV Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me.”
  • NASB “Bring my soul out of prison, So that I may give thanks to Your name; The righteous will surround me, For You will look after me.”
  • NLT Bring me out of prison so I can thank you. The godly will crowd around me, for you are good to me.”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

David asks to be brought out of prison so he may praise God, confident the righteous will gather around him. It ends in hope of deliverance and shared thanksgiving.

Overview

The 'prison' likely pictures David's confinement and distress, from which he longs to be freed to praise. His confidence that the righteous will surround him shows hope restored. This longing for liberation and praise finds its fulfillment in Christ, who sets captives free and gathers His people in worship (Luke 4:18; Acts 16:25-26).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 18

  • Ps 143:11Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
  • Ps 146:7Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:
  • Ps 7:6–7Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded.
  • Ps 13:6I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
  • Jas 5:11Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
  • Acts 2:24Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
  • Isa 61:1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
  • Ps 9:14That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.
  • Ps 142:1I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
  • Ps 119:17Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.
  • Ps 116:7Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.
  • Ps 9:3When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.
  • Ps 31:8And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.
  • Ps 34:2My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
  • Ps 88:4–8I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
  • Ps 22:21–27Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
  • Ps 119:74They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.
  • Ps 107:41–42Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 142:7YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 142:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.