I wonder if Psalm 143 records more of David’s anguish while he was in the cave of Adullam. He wrote again of feeling pursued and crushed and sitting in darkness (as in a cave perhaps?) (3). He has fled to God for refuge (9). Whatever the occasion, David is feeling mighty spent. His spirit fainted within him and his heart was distressed (4). (The KJV has “my heart within me is desolate,” which strengthens the metaphor of David thirsting for God like a parched land (6).) David’s plight of being pursued by his enemies left him in a very vulnerable & desperate condition where he could easily have lost faith in God. He wanted a speedy answer, because his spirit was failing (7). His inner man was weakening quickly. Instead of losing faith & turning away from God, David prayed and plead for mercy by appealing to God’s character of faithfulness & righteousness (1). David knew he had no righteousness of his own with which to appeal to God (2). That’s why he asked for mercy and not justice.
David’s actions here teach me what to do when I’m feeling at my limits and when I feel desperate or want to give up or give in to my soul pain and self-preoccupation. I am often dogged by my past failures that the enemy wants to remind me of. I have no righteousness of my own with which to appeal to God. So, like David, I need to boldly come to God’s throne of grace and ask God for mercy and grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). I can only appeal to God on the basis of Jesus Christ’s righteousness. I also need to intentionally remember God’s past faithful dealings with me. I need to meditate on all God has done in the past and ponder the work of his hands in creation & redemption & providence (5). I need to ask God to teach me to do his will & not mine & lead me by his “good Spirit” through those troubling times (10). I’m sure there are many lessons I need to learn from life’s difficulties, especially when I don’t seem to learn much when everything is pleasant and rosey.
Thank God troubling circumstances or thoughts or feelings don’t last forever, and the morning comes when I can hear God tell me of his steadfast love & faithfulness, after the night of darkness (8). That’s why I read God’s word every morning, so I can hear God speak words that comfort my soul and strengthen my faith. After the darkness of Gethsemane and the cross, there is the hope of resurrection with life preserved, enemies cut off, and adversaries destroyed (12). There is always hope while God remains faithful & righteous. I appeal to him to act on my behalf “for [HIS] name’s sake” and not for mine (11). I remember that I, too, am God’s servant; so when the enemy attacks the servant, he’s attacking the Master, who will always come to the aid and defense of his servant. I am not alone in my dark times, for many of God’s people have found solace from David’s experience and his sweet songs, for which I am truly thankful.
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