November 2, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in selections from Psalms? Here’s today’s reading:
Psalms 142-143 (NIV)
A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer.
1 I cry aloud to the Lord;
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
2 I pour out before him my complaint;
before him I tell my trouble.…..Continue Reading
David’s last words in Chapter 143 were “I am your servant” and the rest of the chapters he spoke of God being his comfort, refuge, deliverer and protector! It made me think of Pastor’s message a couple weeks ago about God’s view of a servant or slave. We serve God out of love, appreciation, and devotion to the one who protects us and has given us new life! This is not the world’s view of slavery where there is mistreatment or abuse but rather a dependence on the master who cares for us. It is our privilege to be a slave for God and as we draw closer to Him and more dependent on Him, He draws closer to us!
David is hiding in a cave away from those who would kill him namely King Saul and his soldiers. If I recall David also had men with him. I also remember that David on two separate occasions snuck into King Saul`s camp with a few of his men. They wanted to kill the King but David stopped them for King Saul was God`s anointed. Yet in this Psalm 142 David feels alone and says that no one is concerned for him and that they are no refuge. How often we have felt alone in our walk with God because we are focused on our problems where our focus should be on the Lord. David even says it here for he knows that God is concerned for him and is his refuge. In Psalm 143 David is again calling out to God to hear his prayer. For he is in great agony from his enemies. He also expresses that no man is justified before God. He is asking God to deliver him from his enemies and to even for God to destroy his enemies. May we keep our focus on Him as we follow Him.
A great reminder that God is always there when we feel alone and in a situation when we need help..
Psalms 142-143; 2 Samuel 5-6
Amen Jill. Even if our reality is that everyone has abandoned us, God is our refuge and our portion and really the only One we need. His presence with us comforts and guides us and His mercy is always available as David cries out for it so often. And He hears us when we cry out and is the only One who can be available all the time. And He is more consistent than anyone in character and what we can expect from Him. And clearly David is a good example of a person that had many difficult situations to deal with and often had people opposed to him and seeking to bring him harm. And who did He turn to in times like that? Our God in heaven. Isn’t it good that we have the Psalms to turn to when we face similar things and find the encouragement to seek the same God David did and find Him faithful to be to us what He was to David.
Psalm 142-143