Psalm 142

This Song was a contemplation of David, a prayer when he was in the cave (according to the title which we again stress was not part of the original text but was added later).  The cave refers to the time when he was fleeing from Saul.  In 1 Sam. 22:1 he left the area of the Philistines and entered the cave of Adullam.  It could also refer to the time period when he was in the strongholds of En-gedi (1 Sam. 23:29).  This song was not written at the time but later as David contemplated that situation when his spirit was overwhelmed (v3) and his soul in prison (v7). 

What he did in that situation was what he typically did when in trouble, as we have seen in the Psalms.  He cried out, made supplication, poured out his complaint, and declared his trouble, all before the Lord (v1-2).  He turned to his God.  This was common for David in those days when he regularly inquired of the Lord and trusted him wholly.  We want and need to know, “What did he find when he turned to the Lord?”  By that we will know the answer to our question: “What will we find when we, with our overwhelmed spirits, turn to the Lord?”

·         142:3-4: First he found out that God already knew his path.  God already knew where David was walking, knew the trap his adversaries were setting in secret, knew that there was no one who could or was willing to help David.  They couldn’t because it was an issue of the soul and the best help of man cannot reach inside us. This is not something we need to mope about, that our friends are such failures.  It simply is not possible for deep soul-satisfaction to be found anywhere else but in God.  That is why David cried out to the Lord.  God already knew his hopeless situation.

·         142:5-7: Then he found God to be all that he needed: His refuge and portion. 

o   As his refuge God could deliver David.  He would protect him from the strong enemy; He would bring his soul out of prison.  This does not tell us exactly how God did this.  When we read of David’s escapes from Saul we see there were many.  But God was the refuge.  For us we must understand: our protection comes from remaining within our refuge.  We do this by obedience to His word, for outside of that we are on our own and doomed to failure.  Our path may be beset by the secretly laid traps of the adversary, but God knows this and His word is a light unto our path (Ps. 119:105). 

o   As his portion in the land of the living David found that God would deal bountifully.  He would not simply come out of prison; he would come out praising His name.  And what a great thought: while no man can deliver us when our spirits are overwhelmed, yet God in His bounty will surround us with His people, the righteous, the fellowship of believers.  What a great inheritance have those who, in their distress, cry out to God!

This David found.  This we too will find in the Lord, our refuge and portion.