Crying Out to the Lord

Scripture:  Psalms 142:1-7 -  I cry out to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk they have secretly set a snare for me. 4 Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; refuge has failed me; no one cares for my soul. 5 I cried out to You, O Lord: I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend to 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 Your name; the righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me.

Psalms 142 is a prayer of distress when (at that time) the future King David was hiding in a cave from King Saul.  (I Samuel 22:1, I Samuel 24:1-2)  David refused to fight unfairly.  Several times he had opportunities to kill King Saul – who was attempting to kill him.  David’s complaint was against his enemies.  He brought his troubles to the Lord.  He knew that God was aware of what he was going through.  He brought the complaint/burden, fears, and distress  to the Lord for relief and so that he would have another reason to praise/worship the Lord.

This prayer of supplication wasn’t some dignified, silent/quiet, calm prayer – where he would quote a lot of what he knew about God.   He cried aloud with his whole heart because of the urgency of his requests.  I Peter 5:6-7 (CSB) says “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares upon Him, because He cares about you.  God knows what we are going through, and He still wants us to cry out to Him.  Crying out to God (as we have an intimate relationship and fellowship with the Lord) helps us to come to grips with our own feelings and thoughts about our circumstances.  Even in the midst of crying out to God and feeling alone, the Lord will remind us that He is the only one who can change our situation or change us in the process.  

God is our refuge!  He is with us in the midst of our pain!  He will never leave or forsake us!  David ended/concluded with confidence/assurance that God would help him!  As a result, righteous people would gather around David, because of the Lord’s intervention.  Therefore, David did not feel alone or weak anymore!

Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father:  Thank You for allowing me to pray/cry aloud to You at any time.  Thank You for listening to my prayers.  Thank You for being my refuge – the one who sees me through when  the prison of my circumstances in life seem dark/dim.  You have all power and wisdom, and I trust You.  I know that you care about my life.  My confidence is in You.  All this I pray in Jesus’ name.

(by Marsha Williams)