"Everyone Needs A Cave”

“Everyone Needs A Cave”

“I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. 2I pour out before him my complaint;

before him I tell my trouble. 3When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me. 4Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. 5I cry to you, Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” 6 Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. 7Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.” Psalm 142:1-7

Intro: Adullam (Ad due lum) is about 5 miles south of Bethshemesh is Judah, near the place known as Gath.

Hidden among the goat and sheep trails there are several caves.

When David was fleeing from Saul, he hid in a cave near Adullam.

As a disclaimer: David was hunted twice and his life in great peril so he hid in caves;

on one occasion, in the cave of Adullam,

and on another, in the cave of Engedi. (In ged ee)

We know it is in one such cave that Psalm 142 is written about.

The back story to this is found in 1 Samuel chapter 18.

Saul was first introduced to David when he asked for someone to play the harp.

David is the greatest musician/song writer to ever live.

Hands down: David is the greatest musician/song writer of all times.

David is beyond the Beatles, Evils Presley, Garth Brooks, and Led Zeppelin combined.

We are studying his songs, the book of Psalms 3000 years after he wrote his words.

His lyrics still resonate with us, stir up and evoke a response in our hearts.

Saul would be troubled in his soul and the music from David's harp would calm his spirit.

Saul’s son Jonathan loved David like a brother.

Saul loved David like a son.

When the Philistine army came to fight against Saul

When everyone else feared the Philistines it was David who went out and fought Goliath and won.

When David came in from the battle the women came out from the towns of Israel

to meet King Saul with singing and dancing with joyful songs and tambourines.

As they danced they sang: “Saul has slain thousands…, and David his tens of thousands.”

Saul became jealous and became very angry.

The bible says this song about David “galled Saul”

Have anyone ever made you feel bitter?

Saul was bitter and resentful. It was more than just rubbing someone the wrong way.

Saul was angry that the people credited David ten times more than him.

The bible says “from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.” 1 Samuel 18:9

David wanted to serve God and do what was right for the kingdom.

Later on Saul was rejected by God to be King and David was instead chosen to be the next King.

If Saul had been right with God he would have been Glad for this.

But instead Saul tried to kill David many times.

Saul gave his daughter unto David to be a snare unto him.

Saul was desperately trying to destroy this young man because of the threat he was to his power.

But David behaved himself wisely and withdrew himself from Saul.

This is where the story picks up our text in Psalm 142.

David is not singing his usual upbeat, uptempo feel good songs to dance to.

Instead he is in a cave hiding from the Saul.

Somewhere outside is Saul and his army searching the countryside looking to kill David if they find him.

And David cries out to God about it.

“I cry aloud to the Lord;

I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.

2I pour out before him my complaint;

before him I tell my trouble.

When he cries aloud in verse 1

And lifts up his voice to the Lord for mercy.

And in verse 2 David pours out before God his complaint.

This isn’t like David.

Most of the time we see David praising God.

I will praise the Lord at all times.

I will sing of his praise forever.

No matter what the circumstances are surrounding David

He is singing

He is dancing.

But not this time.

Have you ever wondered why people have difficulty coming to the altar and talking to God?

You see we have been taught that unless we come to God…, the right way…,