Psalms 142:4
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. 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.
The verse is the lonely cry of one who feels abandoned and unknown, with refuge failed and no one to know him, to care for his soul, to seek his good, or to watch for his soul. It pictures one left without spiritual care and without help in darkness regarding Bible truth, left unwarned with no one to lead toward light, so that everything is viewed in distorted light while unbelief shuts away every angel of mercy. Even publicans and sinners were not left in that condition while Christ was on earth, because He cared for their souls, welcomed them and ate with them to let light shine on them, sowed seeds of truth with every word to enlighten understanding, and counted a soul straying from God as of far greater value than a lost sheep and therefore to be searched for until found.
It applies to those fallen through intemperance who feel without hope and rejected by society, yet God understands the circumstances that shaped them and regards them with pity, and they need help. It applies to young people and unbelievers neglected by professed Christians, who can truly say no one cared for their souls when love is not shown and no one prays with and for them and works to bring them to Christ and the truth. It applies to souls tainted with error who become disaffected and criticizing when neglected, including those from foreign countries who have a work to do, and when those who ought to be watchful fail to watch, thousands go down to complete discouragement feeling uncared for.
It is the cry of needy and perishing sinners when those who should help close their eyes, leave them unwarned, and center thoughts on self instead of seeing and sensing the needs of others, though all are connected in the great web of humanity and should have the mind of Christ. Causing that feeling dishonors God and brings reproach upon the cause, while the true work is to build one another up in the most holy faith. The church's neglect of souls within its reach gives occasion for the complaint, as followers fail to work with Christ and His angels to bring them to Christ and the truth, and it must never be true of anyone within a Christian's reach and no one must be given reason to feel uncared for.
To keep anyone from having reason for the complaint, Christians must be sanctified through the truth and purified and cleansed from pride and selfishness. They must give freely of means to sustain the Lord's work and meet solemn obligations to God. They must represent the plan of salvation in a consistent life with unselfish, disinterested, personal labor and interest for souls, draw the neglected within personal influence, strengthen them, and enlighten minds in darkness so none are neglected.