Everyone has a desperate plea at some time in their lives. I know I have, and I’m sure, before my life is over, I’ll have some more. In this psalm, David has troubles, is overwhelmed, and, to top it off, is being chased by people who are trying to kill him. Even though you may not be in that type of trouble, this prayer is handy for those times of trials. Let’s dig in…
Psalm 142
A psalm (maskil) of David, regarding his experience in the cave. A prayer.
1 I cry out to the Lord;
Psalm 142 NLT
I plead for the Lord’s mercy.
2 I pour out my complaints before him
and tell him all my troubles.
3 When I am overwhelmed,
you alone know the way I should turn.
Wherever I go,
my enemies have set traps for me.
4 I look for someone to come and help me,
but no one gives me a passing thought!
No one will help me;
no one cares a bit what happens to me.
5 Then I pray to you, O Lord.
I say, “You are my place of refuge.
You are all I really want in life.
6 Hear my cry,
for I am very low.
Rescue me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me.
7 Bring me out of prison
so I can thank you.
The godly will crowd around me,
for you are good to me.”
A Desperate Plea for Mercy
While David was a fugitive and on the run from King Saul, he lived for a time in two caves: the Cave of Adullam, near his hometown of Bethlehem, and the cave at En Gedi, in the oasis bordering the Dead Sea. This psalm may have been written during either time.
We’ve all been in desperate situations. Nevertheless, what may seem desperate to you may not seem desperate to others. Not to God. When you pray with sincerity and wholeheartedly, He hears you. However, you need to plead with the right motives.
You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
James 4:2-3 NLT
In other words, what’s your motive behind the request? Are you truly overwhelmed? Desperate? Are you truly in need? Does no one care?
Paul wrote…
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
God cares. Remember, He’s all-knowing. He knows what you’re going through. So, you ask, “If He knows, then why do I need to pray?” He wants you to realize that you need Him, that you can’t do it all by yourself. It’s a surrender.
A few years ago, a dear friend of mine was dying of cancer. It was heartbreaking. My plea was, “Lord, please heal her or take her, but don’t let her suffer!” She was a born-again believer, and I look forward to seeing her in Heaven at the Rapture or my death, whichever comes first.
Rescue and Refuge
Jesus rescued us from sin, death, and eternal damnation. He is our refuge in times of trouble. He is also our only source of PEACE.
Jesus said…
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NLT
Because He overcame, we overcome if we are born-again, SAVED Christians.
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…
Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.
- Believe — have Faith — that Jesus is the Christ and He died taking your sins away forever and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
- Repent of your sins — stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender your life to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean — past, present, and future! And All means ALL!
- Be Baptized by water baptism — show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
- Receive the gift of Holy Spirit in your heart.
