Have you ever been really down? We all have. Most of us have those times and it is really hard to know how to deal with it. The picture we see of David in 1 Samuel 21 is very unusual. The man after God’s own heart began to reject the guidance of God and took things into his own hands. In the preceding chapter, David had lost almost everything but his life. David did as many of us do when things get hard: he started trying to solve his problems on his own. The result was that he grew farther and farther away from God. Finally, in chapter 22 we see four hundred men coming to the cave where David is staying. They were people who had been oppressed by Saul and were discontent with the way things were going. Many believe it is at this point in time when David writes Psalm 142. In that Psalm we see David in utter depression because of what he has done. However, in this prayer to God, David said three things that helped him. When his soul was overwhelmed, he was able to find refuge again in God.
First, David vocalized his problem. Several times through the chapter David makes reference to crying to the Lord and pouring out his complaints to Him. In verse 6 he simply asks the Lord, “Listen to my cry.” God is always willing to help when we are willing to sincerely ask.
Second, David envisioned the power and provision of the Lord. David recognized in verse 3 that God knew his path. He began to remember the power that God once had in his life and realized that God still had that power to work in him. Finally in verse 5 he confesses, “You are my refuge.”
Third, David recognized his victory through God’s help. David said, “Bring my soul out of prison, so that I may give thanks to your name.” David had moved from depression to praise through these three steps.
David saw that God’s power is greater than problems. We, too, face difficulties in life and often take them into our own hand and as a result we drift farther and farther from God, as David did. If we can remember to vocalize the problem to God and envision His power and provision for us we can also arrive at a place of victory. May we never forget that God’s power is greater than our problems.