Temple Baptist Church - 3-8-2026
Psalm 142
Introduction:
A. “A Prayer when he was in the cave.” Psalm 142 has a short title that explains David’s plight and underscores the Psalm's importance to the believer.
1. In Psalm 142, we see the Psalmist David in the dark room of God…he’s in a cave. From the text, we learn that he was fleeing from King Saul's pursuit. David was at the lowest and darkest place he had ever been.
2. Before we examine the text, note that this is one of the thirteen Maschil Psalms. The word 'Maschil' means to instruct, so this is a Psalm of instruction. There are lessons to be learned from the Psalmist's experience here.
B. Though there are some exceptions (Bathsheba and numbering the people), I believe that every believer would love to be called “a man after God’s own Heart,” as there was never a king before or a king after that measured up to this man of God who established a throne that was eternal.
C. Though King David was a man after God's heart, he was also just a frail man, such as we are. It was the hardships that David suffered that molded him into the man that God wanted him to be! This man may change many minds, as we have become accustomed to comfort and the pleasures of this life.
1. Raised shepherding sheep was essential to such a life. Most want to start at the top rather than do the menial tasks of shepherding. Most young preachers are searching for an established church with a bi-vocational free life, a good starting salary, an automobile, and a place to live. David was put in charge of the innocent sheep. His job was to lead them, feed them, and protect them. How long he held this position is unknown, but he faithfully carried out his duties when he killed Goliath with the same skill and courage he used to kill a bear and a lion.
2. Anointed King as a teenager, David was not yet ready to ascend to the throne of Israel. He needed to attend God’s school of hard knocks to prepare him for the daunting task ahead.
3. Life as God’s anointed started well for David, who was chosen by God and anointed by Samuel (1 Samuel 16), and killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17)in his late teens. Anointed but not ready. There is a difference. Anointed shows divine approval, but even in the ministry, the Bishop or pastor is not to be a novice!
4. David learned to make instruments and write songs. He had the solitude in which to do so. Many great musicians honed their skills in solitude. David became notable before
Saul chose him as his personal musician, but jealousy drove Saul to try to kill him. During this time, David proved himself in the art of war as he led Israel’s military and killed tens of thousands. He also won the hearts of the people. David spent the next 8-10 years running and hiding in the wilderness. David was 30 years old when he was finally seated upon the throne of Israel (2 Samuel 5:4).
5. When Saul died, David arose to sit on the throne. Later, King David would spend less than a year fleeing and hiding from Absalom before finally reigning for the rest of his life. Hardship shaped David’s life and the throne, which he established as an eternal throne that Christ will one day occupy.
6. I said all that to say this: God uses hardship to shape men from boys, transforming young, innocent wives into women who are battle-hardened and ready to face difficulty while trusting the Lord.
D. Here, in Psalm 142, we find him hiding in a cave. The title of the Psalm does not indicate whether this was the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22) or En-gedi (1 Samuel 24).
E. We do know that David had his men with him in the cave, but he also knew that the cave should have been a castle! Though out of order, Verses 3-4 show something of great interest to us, as God’s children. You can be in a crowded place and yet feel overwhelmed and all alone!
1. Verse 3. In the middle of a crowd, David’s spirit was overwhelmed in his spirit! Psalms 142:3a When my spirit was overwhelmed within me …
a. It is in our spirit that we worship God. Spirit and truth. There will be times of trouble and confusion when our worship is gone. We may come to the house of worship, but our spirit has been broken, and we go through the motions with no true worship or joy.
b. Overwhelmed is a dangerous place to be, as it breeds disappointment, which leads to discouragement if we fail to trust God enough to put Him in His proper place.
1) Warren Wiersbe made a statement worth quoting: “What life does to us depends on what life finds in us.”
2) Dr. H. B. Smith used the process of film development to explain this Psalm. “It is in God’s darkroom that the true test, and the validity of our spirituality is made known. Faith is like film…It only develops in the dark.”
3) It is in the absence of light that a picture is developed. Here is the process:
a) In order to properly develop the film, it must first be taken into the dark room. (David was in a dark place.)
b) There are different chemicals that must be added to enhance the quality of the prints to be developed. (God was doing something in David’s life that would help to grow in faith later.)
c) After the right chemicals are added, it is safe to expose the film to the light that will eventually produce the details and quality of the picture developed. (God uses these dark times that often overwhelm us to introduce us to the final picture of life.)
4) “Then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.” Though God often allows hard things to come our way, He knows and controls them!
c. In an overwhelmed state, David did the right thing; he cried unto the Lord. When we cannot track God, trust Him!
2. Verse 4. In the middle of a crowd, David felt alone. He said that no man cared for his soul!
Psalms 142: 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.
a) But King David was not alone in the cave. He had 400 men with him who looked up to and followed him!
1 Samuel 22:1-2 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. (2) And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
b) Here is one of the dangers of self-pity, and that is what David had. As their leader, he was supposed to encourage those with him. I Samuel 22:1...there came to David about 400 men in distress, debt, discontented. It was not a lack of company that discouraged him, but a lack of companionship.
c) These men probably fear and he who killed his ten thousands was to face his challenges as he did in the Valley of Elah when he faced and killed a giant!
d) Now, let’s see what King David did that was right and would deliver him in his dilemma.
3. Verses 1-2. He brought his fears to the Lord in prayer!
Psalms 142:1-2 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.
4. Verse 5. He remembered who the Lord was! His true Hiding Place is not the cave.
Psalms 142:5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
5. Verse 6-7. He placed his faith in the Lord, who could do the impossible, and ended with a promise of praise!
Psalms 142:7 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.
Conclusion: When we are going through dark times, God is still God and He stands with us, but we need to recognize Him for who He truly is.
1. In our hours of darkness and loneliness, God is still worthy of our praise. Just praise the Lord anyway!
2. God uses darkness to teach us that we walk by faith and not by sight. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
3. It is the hard times that make us what we need to be.
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