Psalm 142 – A Plea for Relief from Persecutors
What would you do if you were hiding in a cave and your enemy, who would rather see you dead, is at the mouth, blocking you, but he doesn’t know you’re there? What would you do? David chooses to write a psalm. 1 Samuel 24 captures the story for us. You should look it up and have a read. Psalm 142 captures his heart!
1 I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
2 I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.
3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly set a snare for me.
4 Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.
5 I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
6 Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.
7 Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”
We know that David snuck up on Saul and cut off a corner of his robe. But then his conscience convicted him that such things ought not be done to the LORD’s anointed, even though Saul was seeking his death (1 Sam 24:1-7). Even in the face of such turmoil, David knows that the LORD his God is his strength. Let us pray.
Dear Lord and heavenly Father,
Blessed be Your holy name. As You were David’s strength and as often as he turned to you, and especially in the face of turmoil, be my strength. It has been Your will to give the strength of Your Son to see me through the turmoil of my life. It has been Your will to seal His strength in me, through the Holy Spirit. May I always rely on You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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