Psalm 142:7
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.
Bring my soul out of prison,.... Not out of purgatory, to which some Popish writers wrest these words very absurdly; nor out of the prison of his body, as Joseph Ben Gorion {p}; knowing that none but God had a power of removing it from thence; but out of the cave, where he was detained as in a prison, while Saul and his men were about the mouth of it; or rather out of all his straits, distresses, and difficulties, which surrounded and pressed him on all sides, as if he was in a prison;
that I may praise thy name; this release he desired not so much for his own sake, that he might be at ease and liberty, but that he might have fresh occasion to praise the Lord, and an opportunity of doing it publicly, in the assembly and congregation of the people;
the righteous shall compass me about; in a circle, like a crown, as the word {q} signifies; when delivered, they should flock to him and come about him, to see him and look at him, as a miracle of mercy, whose deliverance was marvellous; and to congratulate him upon it, and to join with him in praises unto God for it. The Targum is,
"for my sake the righteous will make to thee a crown of praise.''
And to the same purpose Jarchi,
"for my sake the righteous shall surround thee, and praise thy name.''
Aben Ezra interprets it,
"they shall glory as if the royal crown was on their heads;''
for thou shalt deal bountifully with me; in delivering him from his enemies, settling him on the throne, and bestowing upon him all the blessings of Providence and grace; see Ps 116:7; and thus the psalm is concluded with a strong expression of faith in the Lord, though in such a low estate.
{p} Hist. Heb. l. 6. c. 20. p. 610.
{q} wrtky "coronabunt", Pagninus, Montanus; "vel in me tanquam eoronati triumphabunt", Cocceius.