Psalm 142

Because of the Pandemic, our dog has gotten used to people being at home with him. For months two of the kids were home from college and Kim was working from home, therefore there was almost always someone there. Consequently, he has become attached to people. Before the quarantine, he would go outside and run for hours without coming in. Now, he only wants to stay out for a short period of time and mostly only wants to be outside when someone is outside with him. On the occasions now when we all have to be gone for a period of time, he goes crazy when we return home. It is as if he was afraid we were not coming back. He clearly doesn’t want to be alone. The reality for us as people is we don’t really like to be left alone either. In fact, we all on some level have a fear of being abandoned, especially in times of trouble. In Psalm 142, David is clearly going through a tough time. The title of the Psalm tells us that David wrote this when he was in the cave. In other words, he was hiding and fearing for his life. He began by declaring how he cried out to God in a time of trouble. He was wanting someone to listen. He was clearly in need of help. However, his situation reached a point of desperation when he felt abandoned by everyone. Listen to his words and hear his desperation. Psalm 142:4 Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.  No doubt being in trouble without anyone who cares is a terrible place to be. But, David was not without hope. In fact, he realizes that even though his situation is bad, there is an answer. What was his answer? Listen to his words. Psalm 142:5 I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”  He first recognized that the Lord was his refuge. He knew that he could run to the Lord for protection. Though enemies were coming against him and the situation seemed overwhelming, he knew he could find protection in the Lord. But there is more. He also realized that the Lord was his portion. In other words, the Lord was all he had. When you think about that reality, David truly had all he needed. If the Lord was his portion, what more did he need? We all will face times of trouble. We will all face times when we feel alone. In the midst of those times, let’s remember that the Lord is our refuge and even more, the Lord is our portion. In other words, we are never alone and we really have all we need. Read all of Psalm 142 and find comfort in the Lord in the midst of your troubled days.