INTRODUCTION - Psalm 142, Psalm 57; 1 Samuel 22&23
David endured a lot of hardship while he waited to be anointed King. Yet he still trusted in the Lord each step of the way. David fled into Israelite country, after he had been in Gath with the Philistines. In Gath he had acted like an "epileptic", because he wanted to be thrown out of town. Yet, after they did this, he had no where else to go. He was still on the run from Saul, so he couldn't go back into the palace in Jerusalem. So he found REFUGE IN A CAVE!
"Sure he went "wacko" for a couple of days, but later in the Cave of Adallom he gathers himself together. The faithful shepherd boy surfaces again. The giant killer rediscovers his courage. He had no where to lay his head, but at least "he kept it" Max Lucado
In the Cave at Adallom, DAVID CRIES OUT TO THE LORD. He knew God was his ONLY REFUGE. He returns his focus onto God, and in this Psalm, like Psalm 54, we find David as a "wilderness survivor". Wherever this cave was, specifically - probably in the wilderness of Bethlehem - we know in it, DAVID FELT SAFE from his pursuers.
"Several years had passed since he first fled from Saul, and the effect on David's spiritual nature was a deepening of hos unconditional dependence on God." Alexander McLaren
"Hear my prayer God, listen to what I say. Strangers turn against me, and cruel people want to kill me. They do not care about God. Selah! See, GOD WILL HELP ME; THE LORD WILL SUPPORT ME." Psalm 54:2-4 (NCV)
"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I TAKE REFUGE. I will TAKE REFUGE in the SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS, until the disaster has passed." Psalm 51:1 (NIV)
David cried out for HELP AND MERCY, like he had done many times before, but he also wanted to CELEBRATE and "praise the Lord in public." He wanted to share his faith with others, so they too would be "showered with God's blessings." He knew he would eventually become their king.
This is also a PRAYER OF CELEBRATION. Although David was, at first, alone in this cave, he was later joined by family and other desperate men who wanted to support him. These 400 men, we believe, may have been soldiers. They were "wild and tough", and were encouraged by DAVID'S WORDS AND ACTIONS.
This was a Psalm of Instruction (a Maskel), because of "the lessons David learnt himself in the save.", as he PRAYED TO THE LORD, and DESIRED TO TEACH OTHERS.
"David left Gath and escaped to the Cave at Adullam. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there. All those who were in distress or in debt, gathered around him, and he became their commander. About 400 men were with him." 1 Samuel 22:1-2 (NIV)
"David longed to PRAISE GOD for answering his prayers. He promised that when God rescued him, he would continue to WORSHIP HIM. He will gather his men together and CELEBRATE GOD'S GOODNESS. It is important to celebrate our answered prayers, because this INCREASES OUR FAITH and LOVE OF GOD." Nicky Gumbel
GIVING OUR NEEDS TO GOD - Read Psalm 142:1&2, Philippians 4:4-9
"Who hasn't struggled with demoralizing seasons of darkness? We all suffer from grief and sorrow from time to time, but DEPRESSION is a different matter altogether..... DEPRESSION has been described as a "black hole", an "abysmal cave", which includes discouraging feelings that refuse to go away. Yet, it is much deep and complicated, lasting longer than just despondency. Depression is a feeling of listlessness and discouragement, and is much more serious." Charles Swindoll
"I CRY OUT TO THE LORD. I plea for the LORD'S MERCY. I pour out MY COMPLAINTS and and tell Him ALL MY TROUBLES." Psalm 142:1&2 (NLT)
There are 4 important parts of these opening verses:
1. David writes this MASKIL to give him insight into how to handle times of OVERWHELMING DEPRESSION. For David, "the beginning and end of his troubles" could only be helped by "pouring out his laments to God". Pour out our "troubled thoughts" - BRING THEM TO THE LORD.
2. David was TROUBLED BY HIS CIRCUMSTANCES. , yet he called out his heart and soul to the Lord. He encourages us to never hold back "our complaint and cares" - our "our supplications". His prayers were not just "silent emotion", which often lead to FURTHER ANXIETY. The Lord needs to HEAR OUR VOICE.
"You can cry out to the Lord with THOUGHTS, FEELINGS and ACTIONS, but David cried out to the Lord with HIS VOICE." David Guzik
3. David was in a cave - ALONE AND DESOLATE. We don't know know exactly which cave this was. He spent a lot of time in the CAVE OF ENGEDI and the CAVE OF ADULLAM, but it was more than likely the latter one.
"Caves make good CLOSETS FOR PRAYER; their gloom and solitude are helpful for the EXERCISE OF DEVOTION. If David had prayed as much in his palace as he did in the caves, he may never have fallen into the acts which brought him such misery." Charles Spurgeon
4. David's cry was more than just ASKING FOR HELP, it was an "ALLEGIANCE TO YAHWEH". It was actually a PRAYER and nothing held him back! He comes FACE TO FACE WITH GOF, and was 'TOTALLY HONEST".
"TWICE he calls to the Lord, and TWICE he brings to Him his complaints.....From the interior of the cave David "thunders out his pitiful needs and heartrending groans....He felt WORTHLESS and completely DEPRESSED. He needed to feel NEEDED and NECESSARY." Charles Swindoll
Sometimes we feel this way, we "hit rock bottom" and our "self image is shot". God longs to HEAR OUR PRAYERS. Express your THOUGHT AND WORRIES - don't worry HE'S HEARD WORSE.
" Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, BY PRAYER AND PETITION , WITH THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God. And the PEACE OF GOD which transcends all understanding, will GUARD YOUR HEARTS IN CHRIST JESUS." Philippians 4:6&7 (NIV)
GOD IS MY REFUGE - Read Psalm 142:3-5; 1 Samuel 22:1&2
"When my spirit grows faith within me, it is YOU WHO WATCH OVER MY WAY. In the PATH WHERE I WALKED, people have hidden a snare for me." Psalm 142:3 (NIV)
David was "swallowed up in struggles", but he had GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT, knowing that GOD HAD A PLAN FOR HIS LIFE - God knew HIS JOURNEY AND HIS PATH - even though at this stage, he couldn't see it for himself. David knew that God knew the "snares" that were set before Him and He depended on God TO SAVE HIM.
"Traps were laid by Saul and his men. Spies were everywhere. He was a marked man. I used to wonder why we ever needed to utter words in prayer, since already GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING .....In the middle of confessing his darkest thought, David acknowledges that GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING, even the THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS he had not shared with anyone else." Charles Swindoll
We throw that we too have problems and difficulties (our snares and traps), the CHALLENGES that we have ahead of us. We know that GOD CARES FOR US, just as did David, and even though people may forsake us, we know we can COMETO GOD and FIND REGUFE AND STRENGTH. We can TRUST our powerful God, for HE IS ON OUR SIDE. We don't have to face the bad times ALONE. Many times it seemed that David had no inheritance, but God was his "PORTION". He wanted to be victorious in the land of the living.
"Find REFUGE IN GOD'S PRESENCE. Find COMFORT IN GOD'S PEOPLE." Max Lucado
"Look at the right and see; for there is no one who regards me. There is no escape for me; no one who cares directly for my soul. I cried out to the Lord, I said: "YOU ARE MY REFUGE AND MY PORTION in the land of the living." Psalm 142:4&5 (NASB)
David expressed his loneliness and his fears, but also HIS TRUST IN GOD. Surrounded by Saul and his enemies, David knew that God knew everything about his situation. David knew that GOD WOULD NEVER ABANDON HIM. David's prayer "reflects a man" who would not let his feelings CUT HIM OFF FROM THE LORD and the HELP HE WAS PROMISED.
Later he would be surrounded by a group of "righteous people". He was reminded of this when his family and a group of "discontented people gathered around him". He would later be joined by an army of 400 men.
"David escaped Gath and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there. All those who were distressed, in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. And 400 men were with him." 1 Samuel 22:1-2 (NASB)
"We are not alone in our struggles. God has surrounded us with a A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE to LOVE AND SUPPORT US. We can choose to find COMFORT AND STRENGTH in or relationship with Him and other believers."Cindy Tutch
GOD GIVES FREEDOM AND SAFETY - Read Psalm 142:6&7
"Set me FREE from my prison, that I may PRAISE YOUR NAME. Then the righteous will gather around me, because of YOUR GOODNESS." Psalm 142:6 (NIV)
David's prayer ends with a "CRY OF DELIVERANCE" - confidence that the LORD WOULD ANSWERE HIM. David understood his weakness, but he also knew that GOD WOULD STRENGTHEN HIM. As David has told us his troubles, he has highlighted two things:
1. HE FEELS LIKE A FUGITIVE AND A PRISONER.
2. HE LONGS TO BE FREE AND SAFE.
There ware times we feel this same way, and it is "human nature" to dwell on our difficulties, in a "spirit of despair". Like David we can feel isolated and trapped, but when we share our troubles with the Lord, our FREEDOM can lead to "CELEBRATION AND PRAISE". Hopefully, as David did, WE CAN SHARE OUR FAITH WITH OTHERS.
"Looking into the future, David declares, "The righteous will surround me and deal bountifully with me." Psalm 142:7 (NIV)
"David wanted to teach the desperate men who were with him , to seek HELP FROM GOD. like he was doing." David Guzik
What FAITH David had! He was looking forward and claiming VICTORY! He knew that they would be asking him to be king - as a leader over God's people. Because we TRUST IN GOD in the difficult days, HE STRENGTHENED US TO BE HIS SERVICE. We can "REST IN ASSURANCE" that God will heal us physically, emotionally and spiritually.
'Now David was to be king over Israel. What was the way to Jerusalem for David? What was the way to the throne? Well, it was round by the way of Cave Adallum." Charles Spurgeon
"Those who emerge with emotional stability and inner strength - those are the ones who can MINISTER TO OTHERS." Charles Swindoll
CONCLUSION - Read Psalm 142, Psalm 34; Romans 8:8-32
David began his song with COMPLAINTS, but ended it with CONDIFENCE and TRUST, PRAISE and CELEBRATION. David began with a sense of ISOLATION, bur ends it with COMPANIONSHIP AND SUPPORT. David began in PRAYER and WEAKNESS, but closes with the knowledge of GOD'S GOODNESS, leading to a BOUNTIFUL BLESSING.
"Taste and see that the LORD IS GOOD; blessed is he who TAKES REFUGE IN HIM." Psalm 34:8 (NIV)
David out cried out to the Lord with his troubles, and the Lord had HEARD HIS CRIES, and DELIVED HIM from his troubles. The Lord will do the same for us, IF WE SEEK HIS PRESENCE. In the "cave of depression" PRAY TO THE LORD and hold nothing back. Tell Him all your troubles and TRUST AND RELY ON HIM, ALWAYS! Stand firm in YOUR FAITH! Remember the CAVE may "seem endless", but it is part of "HIS DIVINE PLAN".
"The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from their troubles. The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:17&&18 (NIV)
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.....And we know that in all things, GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE LOVE HIM, and have been CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE." Romans 8:18&28 (NIV)
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GUZIK, David, "Psalm 142 - My Only Refuge - Enduring Word Commentary", www.enduringword.com
LUCADO, Max, "Facing the Giants - God Still Does the Impossible," 2006, Thomas Nelson
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