PRAISE HIM IN THE CAVE - PS 57:1-11
I want to talk to you today……Have you ever found yourself in a place where life backed you into a corner? Where the very people you thought had your back were actually trying to take you out? Have you ever been in a season where you felt like you were hiding in a cave, pressed, perplexed, and pursued by the pressures of life? Maybe you’ve been betrayed, maybe your finances are funny, maybe your health is failing, or perhaps trouble just won’t let you be! If that’s you, then you are in good company, because David knew exactly how you feel!
I want you to understand that Psalm 57 is a psalm of desperation, a psalm of deliverance, and ultimately, a psalm of declaration. David is on the run from King Saul, who is actively pursuing him with the intent to kill him. Saul's jealousy and his fear of David’s rising popularity and God's favor on David led to Saul's attempts to take David's life, leading David to live in constant danger and uncertainty….and at the time of this writing……David is now hiding out in a cave, but even in that dark, that cold…that damp, depressing place, David finds something that shifts his entire perspective, PRAISE! YES, THERE IT IS…EVEN THOUGH HE WAS IN A CAVE CHURCH…SOMETHING HAPPENED IN DAVID’S PSALM, IN HIS SPIRIT, IN HIS MIND, AND RATHER THAN COMPLAINING DAVID DECIDES TO PRAISE!!!!! Somebody shout, "Praise Him in the cave!"
David expresses a desire for God's name to be magnified above all else, despite his own challenges. This reflects the idea that praise is an acknowledgment of God's supremacy and sovereignty, even in the face of personal trials. You see, praise is not just for the sanctuary, not just for the mountaintop moments, not just for the victory celebrations. Praise is a weapon, praise is a strategy, and praise is an act of war against the enemy who tries to come and still and kill your joy!!!!! Praise is what you do when your back is against the wall, and you need God to show up in a mighty way! David teaches us that praise in the cave is not just possible, it’s necessary!
I. TAKE REFUGE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD (Psalm 57:1-3)
Oh, saints, when the weight of the world is on your shoulders and the storms of life are tossing you to and fro, I came to tell you today that there is a place you can run to! I said, there is a place where the storms can’t touch you, where the winds can’t tear you apart, where the fire won’t burn you! David, the man after God’s own heart, says in Psalm 57:1, “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I take refuge in You.” Can I tell you something? David wasn’t just looking for a way out, he was looking for a way in! He wasn’t looking for an escape; he was running INTO the presence of God! Somebody say, “I’m running in!”
When life caves in and you feel like you’re about to break down, let me remind you, don’t run to people, don’t run to distractions, don’t run to things that can’t carry you! The safest place in the whole wide world is in the arms of the Almighty! Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." You need to know that God is present right now! He’s right there where you are. I’m talking about a refuge (AN ASYLUM, A SHELTER) that can handle your burdens, a strong tower that can withstand your storms. Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Somebody shout, “I’m running to the tower!”
Saints, when life gets heavy, when the weight of the world is on your shoulders, don’t run to Facebook, don’t run to your best friend for advice that won’t change a thing! When the storms of life are raging, don’t you dare run to gossip, don’t you dare run to distractions! Run to God! Run to the Father! Psalm 121:1-2 says, “I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” Your help comes from the One who made the heavens and the earth! The One who spoke to the storm and told it to be still!
Saints, when you take refuge in the presence of God, you’re not just surviving the storm, you are thriving in the storm! Psalm 91:1-2 says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
o Don’t just visit the secret place, dwell in it!
o Don’t just show up every now and then….but dwell in it!
o Stay in His presence, and watch how He protects you, how He strengthens you, how He makes a way out of no way.
I came to tell you today, when life gets heavy, when you feel overwhelmed, you’ve got a refuge in God! Don’t run to what can’t help you. Run to the One who’s always been there, who will never leave you nor forsake you.
• There is healing…in his presence
• There is joy…in his presence
• There is safety….in his presence
• There is love…in his presence
• There is peace….in his presence
• Somebody shout, “I’m running in!”
II. TRUST IN THE PURPOSE OF GOD (Psalm 57:4-6)
David paints a powerful image here, he’s surrounded, pressed on every side, facing fierce enemies. He says, “I’m in the midst of lions... I’m dwelling among ravenous beasts... their teeth are spears, their tongues are sharp swords.” He’s not pretending the battle isn’t real, he acknowledges it. The struggle is real, the attack is real, the pain is real. But in the middle of it, David doesn’t keep his eyes on the problem; he shifts his focus to the One who is greater than his circumstance. God is greater!
Saints, hear me today: just because you're in a cave doesn’t mean God’s promise has expired. It doesn’t matter how dark it gets, how fierce the lions roar, how sharp the arrows feel. You’ve got to trust in the purpose of God. Romans 8:28 reminds us that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Even when it feels like a dead end, God is working behind the scenes. What looks like a setback is really a setup for a divine comeback.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God has a plan for you, one full of hope, not despair. Even in your darkest moments, when you think everything is falling apart, God is positioning you for His glory!
Somebody shout, “I trust the process!”
Now, when the enemy digs a pit for you, God is able to make them fall into their own trap. What the enemy meant for evil, God will turn around for your good. Your pain has a purpose. Your cave is not your grave!
Don't look at your situation and call it a prison. See it as preparation! Your cave is not your conclusion, it’s your training ground. God has a purpose FOR YOU!!!!!!
And what about Paul and Silas? Locked in prison, bound in chains, but that wasn’t a punishment; it was a platform! At midnight, in the darkest hour, they began to pray and praise. Suddenly, the foundation of that prison began to shake! The doors flew open! The chains fell off! But the greatest miracle? The jailer and his whole family came to Christ that night! What looked like captivity turned into an Evangelism Service!
• God will use what holds you to set someone else free.
• Your pain is never wasted, God is preparing you to minister to others.
• Don’t you dare look at your cave and think it’s just about you!
• God is using your situation for His glory and to bring freedom to SOMEBODY ELSE.
And let me tell you about Pastor Joel Osteen, who experienced his own moment of trusting in the purpose of God. Many years ago, Pastor Osteen took over his father’s church, Lakewood Church, after his father, John Osteen, passed away. At that time, Lakewood was a small congregation, and Joel was inexperienced in leading such a large ministry. There were doubts, there were struggles, and there were those who didn’t believe he was the right person for the job. It was his "cave" moment, he could have given up, he could have doubted God’s purpose. But instead, he trusted in God’s plan.
Over the years, Lakewood Church grew exponentially, becoming the largest church in the United States, and Pastor Osteen became a global voice of hope, encouragement, and faith. What looked like a setback, taking over a struggling church after his father’s death, was God’s setup to raise up a ministry that would impact millions. The cave became the launching pad for God's purpose to be fulfilled.
• Don’t let your cave kill your confidence!
• Just because it looks dead doesn’t mean it’s over.
• Just because you’re down doesn’t mean you’re out.
• Trust God’s process, AND WHEN YOU TRUST GOD’S PROCESS THERE WILL ALWAYS BE VICTORY ON THE OTHER SIDE!!!!!
Saints, remember this: even in the cave of adversity, God is working His purpose in your life. The attack is real, but God is greater. Your pain has a purpose. His plan is still in motion. You may be in the cave now, but you have got to Trust in the Lord….with all your heart………..
Keep trusting, keep praising, because your victory is on the way!
Somebody shout, “I trust the process!”.
III. TAKE PART IN THE PRAISE OF GOD (Psalm 57:7-11)
Oh, saints of God, do you see David? Do you see him in the cave? Do you see him in the middle of the fight, running for his life, surrounded by enemies? David, David who hasn’t seen his breakthrough yet, David who hasn’t seen his enemies fall, David says in Psalm 57:7, "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music."
Wait a minute! Hold up! David is still in the cave, but his heart is steadfast! David is still surrounded by enemies, but he’s already dancing in his victory! David is praising while the battle is raging, he’s praising in the midst of his pain! He says, "I WILL SING and MAKE MUSIC!" His circumstances haven’t changed, but his perspective has changed! Somebody shout, "I’m praising in advance!"
I’m here to tell you today, saints of God, that there is power in praising God in advance! There’s power in praising Him before the breakthrough, before the victory, before the miracle even manifests! Praise is not about how you feel, it’s about who God is! You've got to praise Him for who He is, not just for what He's done, not just for what He's going to do, but because of who He is!
• I’m talking about the God who is El Elyon, the Most High God, the one who rules over all.
• He is Jehovah Jireh, your provider, the one who sees and supplies!
• He is Jehovah Nissi, your banner, your victory!
• He is El Shaddai, the Almighty God, the all-sufficient one!
Let me remind you, your praise is a weapon! I said, your praise is a weapon! And it’s a weapon you use before the battle is over! You’re not waiting for the victory to praise Him; you’re praising because you know the victory is coming!
Praise doesn’t wait for the storm to pass. Praise praises while the storm is raging! Your praise is the evidence that you believe that God is going to move. Saints, praise is a declaration of faith, faith that says, “I believe that no matter what it looks like now, my God is bigger, my God is greater, and my God is working it all out for my good!”
• Look at Hannah! Hannah was barren, broken, desperate, feeling unworthy. She was in pain, but instead of sitting in her sorrow, she praised in advance! She didn’t wait for the baby to come before she gave God praise; she praised before the breakthrough! And what happened? God opened her womb and gave her Samuel, the prophet who would anoint kings. Hannah birthed destiny through her praise!
• What about the leper in Luke 17? There were ten lepers, but only one came back to give God praise! He was healed just like the other nine, but his praise made the difference. When he came back to worship, Jesus didn’t just heal him, He made him whole! Some of you are healed, but your praise will take you from healing to wholeness!
• AND HERE IT IS CHURCH….THE SAME GOD WHO HEALED THEM WILL HEAL YOU….He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
o The God who parted the Red Sea for Moses is the same God who will make a way for you.
o The God who brought down the walls of Jericho for Joshua is the same God who will bring down every wall that stands in your way.
o The God who delivered Daniel from the lion’s den is the same God who will deliver you from every enemy, every trial, and every test.
• Don’t wait until the battle’s over, shout your praise right now!
• Keep praising, keep trusting, keep believing, because your victory is already on the way!
• Saints, if David could praise God in a cave, surely we can praise God in THE SANCTUARY!
o I don’t know about you, but I made up my mind, I will bless the Lord at ALL times! His praise shall continually be in my mouth!
o When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all He’s done for me, my soul cries out, "Hallelujah!"
o Somebody ought to give God a "cave praise!"
o Not because you’re out of the cave yet, but because you know you’re coming out!
• Praise Him like you already got the job!
• Praise Him like the healing has already manifested!
• Praise Him like the way is already made!
• And when we get to glory, we’ll really have a reason to shout! Because Jesus, the ultimate Cave Conqueror,
o You know the story, they hung him high and stretched Him wide, He shed blood from his brow, from his side, from the open wounds on his body, He hung his head in the locks of his shoulders and he died, they put my Savior in a tomb, they rolled the stone in front of it, sealed it, and thought it was over. They thought it was finished. They thought the story was done.
o But I came to tell you that the tomb was just a temporary waiting room!
The tomb couldn’t hold Him!
It looked like it was over, but early Sunday morning,
• He got up with Victory in His hands,
• healing in his hands,
• Salvation in his hands,
• Deliverance in his hands,
• He got up with ALL power in His hands!
• What looked like defeat turned into victory!
• What looked like the end was only the beginning!
• And because He got up, I know that WE CAN GET UP TOO!!!
And because He lives, we can face tomorrow!
Because He lives, all fear is gone!
Because He lives, we can praise Him in the cave, knowing that our deliverance is on the way!
So, I dare you right now to open your mouth, lift your hands, stomp your feet, and give God the kind of praise that makes demons tremble and shackles break! Somebody shout, "I’ll praise Him in the cave!" Amen!
