Psalm 142:1

Psalm142:1

A cry for mercy

In many Bibles the introduction to this Psalm mentions that it was written when David was “in the cave.” We’ve referred before to the Cave of Adullam, a place of refuge for David and a small band of followers that he had gathered around him. David was still a relatively young man and had not yet taken hold of the reigns of leadership in Israel, at that time a country ruled over by King Saul. We first encounter the Cave of Adullam in 1 Samuel 22. As David was fleeing from Saul, who was trying to kill him, he sought refuge among the Philistines in Gath (1 Samuel 21:10-14). Realizing, however, that this was not a safe place for him, “David left 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 in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him” (1 Sameul 22:1-2).  This cave in Adullam became a base of operations for David, and it was here that he went from being a lone fugitive on the run to a leader of a small band of “outlaws”. If modern sources are correct, Adullam was near the border of the Philistine lands, so the location itself would have provided some protection from Saul, as he could not mount a military operation without risking attack from the Philistines.

 

V1        This verse begins with a very personal plea, commentators suggest that it was written in the formal third person, in other words it correctly interprets as “I cry aloud to You, Lord.” We can only begin to imagine the fear and anxiety that gripped young David as he trembled at the mouth of the Cave of Adullam, well aware that he was defenceless against the military power, the plots and schemes, and the intelligence-gathering capabilities of his pursuer. David had done nothing wrong, the anger that consumed King Saul was born out of jealousy and his awareness that David, the young pretender, was destined to take the throne of Israel. Saul was driven by the knowledge that the kingdom might not pass to his successors unless he killed God’s anointed. The king was consumed with this jealousy and anger; he was relentless in trying to track down David and to destroy him!

David was defenceless by comparison, he had no army, he did not know who he could trust, he had no base from which he could safely defend himself, all he could do was run and hide. There was only one being to whom he could appeal, the One who had appointed him to one day take over the sovereignty of the nation. Whilst David knew that this was his destiny, he felt very uncertain about ever achieving it! 

We may all go through times of trouble when friends desert us, we have little security, enemies hound us and all we can do is run and hide. It is at such times that we must turn to the One who is our guardian and deliverer. If we are convinced that we are His children and that His presence is with us, then we have every right to call upon Him for mercy. Just like David. Hallelujah!

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