Dover Assembly of God
1 Samuel 22:1 NLT
David returns to a familiar place (the cave of Adullam - 15 miles from his hometown) and cries out to God.
Psalm 142:1 - NIV
A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer
There are 2 times David prays in a cave. Here and the cave of En Gedi. Nobody is positive which is which, but most agree that the prayers offered in either place would be about the same.
We will look at Psalm 142 from the point of view that David is still running, by himself, feels alone and now one to help.
So David is alone in the cave, probably exhausted from traveling the 10 miles between Gath and this cave, feeling in danger, depressed and abandoned.
He does what God’s people should always do -- Go to God for help.
When we find ourselves in a situation where we are in danger, we feel depressed and abandoned, where do we turn?
It’s one thing to go to friends and family, they may offer some comfort, but in reality only God can help us where we don’t know what to do.
Psalms 142:1 NIV
He is in a cave, a place where he could probably scream and nobody would hear.
He probably isn’t usually in a place where he could be loud for fear of someone hearing or seeing him.
So he cries loudly to God.
Speaking loud doesn’t mean God hears you better, but it does represent David’s anguish and state of mind at this time.
It’s like he isn’t sure what to pray yet. He’s at the bottom and just wants relief.
Psalms 142:1 NIV
Psalms 142:2 NIV
He first complains about his situation.
All his life so far he is a pretty godly man. Lives his life obedient to his father, doing everything right.
So right, in fact that God anoints him to be king.
He is so godly that God picks him to be KING! He must be living right.
“If I’m so godly and if I am doing everything right, why am I going through this God?”
Psalms 142:2 NIV
David goes from just complaining, to being specific about what he is complaining.
Notice also that he is complaining TO God, not complaining ABOUT God.
God is big enough to handle our temper tantrums and griping and legit problems.
So what exactly is David’s problem?
Psalms 142:3 NIV
Notice how the pronouns change.
Verses 1-2 - David refers to God as “HIM”
Starting at Verse 3, he is addressing God as “YOU”.
David was a great warrior but even great warriors get spiritually drained.
Things were just going south wherever he looked.
David complained to God, blaming God that things weren't going the way that David thought they should go, and that evil seemed to be winning.
Psalms 142:3-4 NIV
He was feeling overwhelmed by what life was dishing out to him.
Ever been there? Feeling overwhelmed by what life is pouring on you?
Nobody seems to care or be there to help. Even if they could help, they don’t.
You just can’t take one more day?
Psalms 142:3 NIV
When we don’t know the next step we should take. When everything we try fails, and we have no clue of what to do next, God knows the way.
God knows what the next step is. Sometimes we just have to be still and allow God to speak to us about what is next.
David was exercising some faith here. He knew in himself, he was drained and overwhelmed and he knew he needed God to take it from here.
Psalms 142:5 NIV
Not only is God concerned about heavenly things, he is concerned about things here on earth.
God is his refuge (protector, place of shelter) and he is David’s portion. David said that God was his portion, where? Here in the land of the living.
God supplies his earthly needs as well as his spiritual needs.
Psalms 142:6-7 NIV
When life struggles seem impossible for us to handle, things that are beyond our control, God is the one who can set us free from them.
Look at how David’s attitude changes.
He goes from crying out and complaining to God about his life, he settles down a bit and recognizes that God is the one who is able to help, he then commits the problem to God.
He wants to be free from the worry and heartache enough to just focus on praising God.
He wanted to praise God more than he wanted delivered.
He doesn’t say set me free so I can enjoy my life.
He wants to be set free from the fear of the situation more than just the running part.
“God, I don’t want to worry about this anymore, I just want to focus on praising you and letting you handle it.”
Psalms 142:6-7 NIV
We will encounter many situations that are too much for us to handle and they may be with us for quite a while (10 years for David).
But even during those times, God takes the fear and worry away so we can focus on what God is capable of doing, giving the problem to him and praising him for handling it.
What happens when that occurs?
Psalms 142:7 NIV
Other people will be drawn to you because of what they see God doing in your life. Whether it is God delivering you from the problem, or God giving you peace and comfort during the problem, people will see the goodness and reality of what God is doing.