The Path Of Life

The Path of Life

Psalm 142

1 Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.

2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.

3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

6 Attend unto 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 thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

This Psalm portrays the heart of David; even so it portrays the Messiah when He was shut up in the prison, the house of Sheol.

David poured out his complaints to God and David’s greater Son poured out His to the Father.

We are given an example in which to follow.

When David’s heart was overwhelmed, he was saying God knew his path.

Has your spirit ever been overwhelmed and you didn’t know what to do? God knows what you are going through.

He knows the path of life that you are on and He will lead you in all of your wonderings.

David understood that God knew about his life of sorrow.

At times, God would show David what was wrong in his life and it was David’s responsibility to fix the problems that was revealed in his path of life.

David invited God to scrutinize his conduct but he knew what was revealed could and would be fixed.

When we look at Jesus’ life, we see a life of constant and bitter trial, but it was a sinless life.

Jesus was tested and, at times, Satan would try to lay snares for Him but He never sinned.

At times, Satan will, on our path of life, will lay snares and traps in order to get our minds off the things of God.

David knew that no matter what he went through in this life, God was ultimately in control.

Psalm 142:4

4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

There was no man that really knew David, refuge had failed him and no man cared for his soul.

This world does not care about your soul; they have no real knowledge of the things of God.

They might, from time to time, talk about the things of God but they really don’t know what He is all about.

Psalm 142:5

5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

Again this scripture has a double meaning:

1. This scripture portrays David crying out to God and telling Him that He is refuge and his portion in the land of the living.

2. The phrase, “no man cared for my soul” is a reference to Jesus dying on the cross and thereby being made a curse by God, when in reality there was a curse but the curse was on us.

3. Jesus took that curse upon Himself.

Galatians 3:13

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Psalm 142:6

6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

Jesus, after He died upon the cross, descended into Hell.

This is portraying that Jesus trusts, prays and He believes.

He is crying for deliverance and the triumph which Jesus’ resurrection would bring to the righteous.

Psalm 142:7

7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

This portrays the Messiah, that He will be delivered out of the death world.

Jesus knew that His prayer would be answered and what the joy of His resurrection would bring to His people.

I have entitled this tonight:

“The Path of Life” and here is the reason why:

6-22-08

I dreamed that I was on the path of life. At different points, the enemy (Satan) would put obstacles in my way. I knew that I had to overcome the things that were placed in my path. I knew that with Jesus’ help, I would make it.