The Bible Commentaries and Others: Psalms 142 v 2

http://biblebitbybit.blogspot.com/2016/01/psalms-142-v-2.html
Posted by Psalms on Saturday, 23 January 2016

Psalms 142:2

I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.

142:2. I poured out my complaint before him. He could not keep it in, but he took care where he poured his complaint. If he poured it out before man he might only receive contempt from the proud, hard-heartedness from the careless, or pretended sympathy from the false; and therefore he resolved upon an outpouring before God alone, since he would pity and relieve. The word is scarcely complaint, but even if it be so we may learn from this text that our complaint must never be of a kind that we dare not bring before God. We may complain to God, but not of God.

I showed before him my trouble. He exhibited his griefs to one who could assuage them. This verse is parallel with the first; David first pours out his complaint, letting it flow in a natural, spontaneous manner, and then he makes a more elaborate show of his affliction. Praying men pray better as they proceed. Note that we do not show our trouble before the Lord that he may see it, but that we may see him. It is for our relief, and not for his information that we make plain statements concerning our woes: it does us much good to set out our sorrow in order, for much of it vanishes in the process, like a ghost which will not abide the light of day; and the rest loses much of its terror, because the veil of mystery is removed by a clear and deliberate stating of the trying facts. Pour out your thoughts and you will see what they are; show your trouble and the extent of it will be known to you: let all be done before the Lord, for in comparison with his great majesty of love the trouble will seem to be as nothing.

Excerpt from:

The Treasury of David by Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892)