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. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk they have secretly set a snare for me. 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. I cried out to You, O Lord: I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. 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.” (A Contemplation of David. A prayer when he was in the cave. Psalm 142)

No One Cares For Me

The life of David was an ideal time for a shepherd boy in a big family with godly parents. As a boy, he was entrusted with keeping and protecting the sheep. He learned early the rigors of shepherd life with a trust in God to defend himself and his flock. This faith would serve him well as he stood in the valley of Elah against the giant Goliath. His life would change when he was taken to serve the king of Israel. Saul enjoyed the musical talents of young David. The son of Jesse would excel in combat, receiving the praise of the people. It was this praise that caused King Saul to become jealous of David to the point the king tried to kill David on numerous occasions.

Saul’s hatred of David grew into intense jealousy. Because of Saul’s rashness in disobeying the word of the Lord, he was rejected as king. Saul would spend much of his life chasing David like a flea in the wilderness. David loved his king and would never harm him, even when the opportunity arose. The constant running from the army of Saul exhausted David. On two occasions, David hid from Saul in the caves of Adullam and Engedi. It is not known if the psalm David wrote about his hiding in the cave is from these two stories, but David was familiar with hiding in caves to escape the soldiers of Saul.

The prayer in the cave is a cry of distress. David is seeking refuge, but there is no way to escape his enemies. He is overwhelmed by those who seek to harm him. His friends have forsaken him. He is alone with no one to help. He cries out to the Lord with tears of anguish. His spirit is overwhelmed by enemies who have set traps for him. David finds himself at a low point in life when he cries out to the Lord that there is no one to help him and no one cares what happens to him.

Abandoned by everyone, David seeks the refuge of the Lord. God is his sanctuary, his dwelling place. David is low, but through the Holy Spirit, he is exalted to the presence of the One who will never forsake or leave him. There is hope in God and God alone. He knows that the Shepherd of his life will bring him out of the prison of despair so that he may praise the name of the Lord. Mixed with the fear of betrayal and enemies seeking his life, David knows the power of God’s saving grace to lift him up. The joy of the presence of God gives David hope as he dwells in the cave of fear. There is nothing to fear when God is surrounding him.

Life is filled with many caves where the heart is overwhelmed with despair, sadness, heartbreak, loss, and fear. David learned in the cave that God is there. No cave is so dark God cannot light the heart of the oppressed. The world may be careless and cruel, but God is always faithful. David said no one cared for his soul. God cared for and blessed His servant. Never give up hope that God knows your grief and pain and understands your sadness. When you live in the caves of despair, trust in God, who will never fail you. He will never forsake you. Praise His name. Surround yourself with the righteous. God will deal with you in His bountiful care.