“I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit about what happens to me.” (Psalm 142:4 NLT)
The psalmist (David) was having a big ole pity party. It was justifiable. The heading tells us that David was hiding the cave of Adullam, waiting out King Saul’s fury. David had big, ugly feelings: a legitimate response to death threats and a rage-fueled cross country goose-chase. David felt alone, misunderstood and totally unknown.
David gave full vent to his feelings, and then he reminded himself of His knowings.
“Then I pray to You, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.”” (Psalm 142:5 NLT)
David was able to turn down the volume on his feelings and find the truth. God was with him, and that was enough. If God was enough in the cave of Adullam, then God would be enough in the throne room of Jerusalem. David learned an important lesson in the dark night of his soul.
Today’s song of David reinforces two truths I’ve been pondering this week.
The first is simple: the Lord is a good shepherd. (Psalm 23, John 10:11)
“He is the owner who delight in His flock. For Him there is no greater reward, no deeper satisfaction, than that of seeing His sheep contented, well-fed, safe and flourishing under His care. This is indeed His very ‘life’. He gives all He has to it. He literally lays Himself out for those who are His.” (A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23, W. Phillip Keller)
We are not held captive by a lazy landowner or a negligent herdsman. We are captivated by a good shepherd. As Keller writes – sin and Satan are wretched taskmasters. But when we choose to belong to the Lord, we are brought into a well-cared for fold.
The second thought is a little less pleasant: we are a self-absorbed people. Anonymity makes us incredibly insecure. We can obsess about being alone, unknown and cast off in a cave, or we can delight in the reality that we are fully known by a good God – no matter where we stand socially. (Psalm 139).
I must admit, this is hard for me as a recovering people pleaser. I have walked through a very lonely couple years; pandemic plus a cross-country move created a social vacuum for me personally. As this season seems to close, I am reminded: I am always fully known and loved by my Savior.
“When we understand that Jesus knows us intimately and loves us deeply – despite what He knows about us – this alleviates any need to be known and exalted by others.” (Live Dead Joy, Dick Brogden)
David leaned from his time in the dark. The cave of Adullam helped him discover who he truly was and how to live for an audience of One. May our season of anonymity and adversity school us in the same essential truths.
Lord, we are social creatures. We so often get crushed by the ever-changing opinions of others. We are exhausted by the ongoing disappointment. Please help us turn down our feeing and discover the truth. You are with us. You are for us. And Your admiration is the only admiration that counts. You are a good shepherd and we are fully known by the One that matters most. Please help us let go of the opinions of others and set our sights on delighting in You. Amen.