TIMES OF TRUST!

Psalm 142

Sunday, 03 December 2023

“I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, “You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.” -Psalm 142:5

The setting for this poem of deep anguish may be during the second time David was hiding from King Saul in a cave (at Adullam). This was a time in David’s life when it appeared that he was totally alone. In fact he began to doubt whether even God was truly for him. But despite such a situation, David turned to the Lord in prayer. [NKJV Study Bible]

Through this Psalm David expresses a cry of distress when there was no hope but in God! How often we have been in such experiences and unless God had intervened, we would have had no way of escape. It’s God’s mercy and deliverance we experienced in times we knew no one could help us!

Job 23:10 “But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” God knows the ways of His servants and He will not forsake them, if they continue their trust in Him. David himself proclaims in Psalm 32:7 “You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.” And in the next verse, God responded to David, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” God was quick to respond to His servant’s declaration of his allegiance to Him.

Even in the tough times that David faced while at the cave in Adullam, God made something beautiful out from it! “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love the Lord; to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

1Samuel 22:1-5 describes David’s life at the Adullam cave. The fact of the matter was that “everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered together to him; and he became the captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him.” These men were with David during his time of distress and their number increased to six hundred in 1Samuel 23:13. We read about them again in 2 Samuel 23:8 onwards ´These are the names of the mighty men whom David had…” It is amazing to see that those people with David not only increased in their number, but from being a mere bunch of disgruntled folks they rose up to the status of “mighty men!”

How did those-who once were in distress and were hopeless- become such mighty warriors as described in 2 Samuel 22? The answer definitely is that they had a leader of Character who displayed the integrity to keep his trust in God even in the worst times of his life. Faith is contagious – David’s faith is transmitted to his followers too. For sure even though David was hiding in the cave and was trying to protect his life from Saul, he still would have kept his life under check and was doing things that pleased God! It is a life lesson for all who seek to serve Him – you need to keep your devotion to Him even in tough times and ensure that you proclaim your trust in Him. Then your life testimony becomes an example to others.

Let the people hear and understand and let them follow your faith. Let your times of distress become your times of trust!

Quote for the Day: “Trust to God to weave your thread into the great web, though the pattern shows it not yet.” -George Macdonald

Listen: 'You are my Hiding Place'