Prayers from the cave of fear, confusion, and difficulty
By Dean Collins
When you cry out for God’s help from your cave of fear, confusion, and difficult circumstances, he will respond. But you probably should prepare yourself for the odd collection of people he might send to help you!
Doing right, receiving wrong
David had done nothing wrong to deserve the persecution he was being served by King Saul. In fact, David had done a remarkable number of things right. He had been a good son who faithfully took care of his family. Even as a boy he had shown remarkable confidence in God and understanding that God was with the Israelites. His faith and courage were so remarkable that he insisted that he fight Goliath. He defeated the giant, bringing victory for God’s people.
David was anointed by Samuel to be the next king, and even as Saul raged against David, David faithfully ministered to Saul, playing and singing songs that brought temporary relief to his tortured soul. Yet despite all of the good and right and faithful things David had done, he found himself hiding in the cave of Adullam where he might avoid the constant threat of death at the hands of King Saul and his armies who were pursuing him.
Hiding out, looking up
Scholars suggest David may have composed two psalms from this cave. Both Psalm 57 and Psalm 142 may be the prayers of David as he sought help from the Almighty in the midst of his unfair treatment by King Saul.
Alone in the cave, David prayed desperate and beautiful prayers. Maybe our best prayers are the ones we pray anxiously when we realize we have no control over some situations and only God can provide what we so desperately need. From Psalm 142 we overhear David’s prayer for help and relief:
“With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him. When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul. I cry to you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’ Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me! Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.”
When we are in fear, in danger, stuck, uncertain, and in trouble, we may well want to borrow David’s prayer and use it as our own. When we pray Scripture we know our words align with God’s will and path for us.
In Psalm 57 after David expresses a similar prayer to what he prayed in 142, he ends his prayer with expressions of praise and confidence in God’s deliverance:
“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!”
Finding helpers, all in need
And as a result of David’s prayers, God did in fact send a few hundred people to help him. He did not send the prophets, the worship leaders, or the prayer team. God sent an unusual collection of similarly desperate folks to help David get out of his cave. Here is the description of the rescue team:
“And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.”
I suspect these 400 men would not have made the short list of our selection process. But as usual, God sees what we cannot see and knows what we do not yet know. This band of poor and bitter souls became the mighty men God used to rescue David and clear the path for his season of kingship over Israel.
I don’t know that I would change your HR practices. Character, competence, and fit might still be the best selection criteria. But today, maybe our most valuable lesson to learn from David is to pray earnestly to God when we are in need. Pray with total vulnerability, demonstrating to God that you understand his way, his rescue, and his plans are best. Sing praise and thank him for his past victories, and declare your confidence that he will do it again. And then watch for the arrival of the people he chooses to help you.
Lord, we come to you because we know you and you alone are the answer to all of our needs. We ask you to send relief, help, support, wisdom, and strength to us in our time of need. Give us wisdom to see and discern where and how you are working. Help us see whom you have sent alongside us to accomplish your mission. We declare you as sovereign over all things and wait on your rescue plan for us. Be glorified in our surrender today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
1 Samuel 22:1-5; Psalm 142:1-7; 57:1-11 ESV
Photo by M. Kaercher at istockphoto.com
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