Praying from a Cave - Psalm 142

We are saddened to read of decent people who are used and abused by the wicked. Not that David was without fault, but then, neither are any of us. But he had done nothing but good for his king and father-in-law. He certainly had done nothing worthy of being hunted like an animal.

Now, he prays while hiding out in a cave. He had fled for his life, found this retreat and serenades the bats. I suppose some of us have found ourselves similarly oppressed, depressed and obsessed.

First, he cries out to the Lord. "I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication." Sometimes we have to go just about as low as we can go before we really seek Heaven's face. When things are going well, we have a tendency to put things on auto pilot, but, ending up in a cave in the wilderness would get our attention focused on a Higher Power.

Next, David lays out his problems to the Lord, taking an inventory of his woes. "I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble." Now, the Lord knows what's up in our lives, but sometimes it's necessary for us to lay it all out there, assessing before Him how bad our situation really is.

The future king admits that he is overwhelmed. It is just too much for him to deal with. "When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me." Been there, done that? There are times a person just wants to pull the covers up over their head and take a nap while the world takes a spin or two.

David looks around and bemoans the absence of his posse. "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." Strange how, when you are in the greatest need of your people, they may be nowhere to be found.

But he does the right thing. He brings his woes to the Lord, the One Who can and will do something about it. "I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
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."

So don't cave in in the cave you are in. Don't give up, give it to the Lord.