Trapped?

Posted on 19. Jul, 2010 by Jim Peters in Hearing God - Jim's Daily D

Psalm 142

A Maskil (which possibly has to do with understanding or pondering OR may be to do with performance.)
A Prayer Written by King David When He Was In The Cave 

1 With my voice, I call the Lord for help;

I beg the Lord for mercy with my voice.

2 I pour out my complaint in his presence;

I announce my trouble in his presence.

3 When my spirit was weak[1]

You knew my path;

They have hidden a trap for me

Where[2] I walk.

4 Look to the right and see;

No one acknowledges me.

My escape (route) is destroyed

And no one asks about me.[3]

 

5 I called to you Lord for help!

I said, “You are my shelter

And my share in the land of the living.

6 Pay attention to my screaming[4];

I am hanging very low;

Snatch me away from (those who) chase me,

They’re too[5] strong for me.

7 Lead me out of the dungeon

(So that I can) thank your name;

(People who are) just will surround me

(Because) you will repay me with the kindness I deserve.[6]

 

[1] “spirit turn aside/weak/envelope against/with” [2] “this/such/which/whom”  [3] “no/not/nothing seek/seeks to care/enquires/investigates soul” [4] “loud cry/shout/pleading”  [5] From out of”  [6] Most translation render this word “gamal” as “deal bountifully”  It means deal fully/recompense/deal out/repay/bear ripe almonds/benefits/what is deserved”  It has a connotation of good in this context.

Application

I need God’s help. I can relate to Dave in the cave.  Sometimes I feel so trapped and yet I don’t even have a threat to my life.  It doesn’t require a physical enemy to create a trap.  My own mind is good at trapping me into thinking that situations are hopeless and my own actions are good at trapping me into things that I’d rather have avoided.

I need God’s deliverance and God’s help to get out of the traps and into his freedom.  If God sets me free then I am free indeed.  Even when I am weak, God knows the path I’m on and he has the answers to get me off my path and onto his.  He knows the traps that are set for me before I fall into them.   Accordingly, I need to be listening to him rather than myself or other voices.

I can do nothing more than to call to the Lord.  He is indeed my shelter and my portion while I live.  He does hear me screaming out to him for help and he will answer.  He never leaves me or forsakes me.  I can rely on him, no matter how bad the situation is.  He will snatch me out of trouble and he will put me in a place of honour, privilege and safety where I am surrounded by righteousness and justice.

Prayer

Father, I call to you.  You know my needs and you know my circumstances, even though no one else seems to care.  I declare that you alone are my hope and I have put all my eggs in your basket.  If you don’t help me then I’m done for.  You alone are my God and I surrender to you.  Forgive me for doubting you and looking for other routes to escape.  But Lord, all those other routes seem to have been destroyed anyway and so I turn to you and beg you to rescue me and put me on the path that you have designed for me.  Surround me with righteous people and please make me fruitful.

IJN Amen

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