Psalm 142

[Al Moak]

Psalm 142

This song is a personal testimony.  It's David's testimony about where he got his help in life, what his source of strength and ability was, and especially what his resource was in hard times.

He really had a one-word answer for all these categories and that word was "Lord."  He says, "I cry out to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.  I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble."

He explains.  He says, "When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path."  Simply put, he was aware that God understood and cared, no matter how great the problem.

And the troubles David experienced made it very necessary to have an adequate resource, because he came to realize that his enemies had secretly set a snare for him, and it was something that would indeed trip him up when he least expected it.  And he also knew that no one would tell him about it.  He says, "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."  The "right hand," figuratively, is the place where the warrior's best help should be – and for David there was no one there!  Simply put, there was no place to turn.  If the Lord didn't help him, no one would.

So what could he do?  He does the only thing possible: "I cried out to You, O Lord; I said, You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."  For David, though human beings failed him and there was no one to share the trial with, no one at his side to help him in the battle, yet there was always that unseen Help, that One Who has promised, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."

So there's only one thing to do, and David does it.  He prays to his Lord!  He says, "Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.  Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your Name; the righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me."  That's the answer!

Do you ever feel as though there's no one who cares – that you're entirely ALONE?  Remember, oh remember, dear brother or sister – you have the same unseen Resource David had!  All you need to do is to call on Him, then trust Him.  He is THERE!

[Pat]

Alan, this was a wonderful devotion tonight.

No, we're NEVER alone as children of the Savior.  Maybe we're lonely but we're not alone and what a wonderful realization that is.

Thanks so much!

[Al Moak]

Oh that we would and could remember this at all times!  He's not a theoretical God, but He's the God Who is THERE!