A Verbal Plea when Overwhelmed

Psalms 142:1-7
A Contemplation of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave.

1 I cry out to the LORD with my voice;
With my voice to the LORD I make my supplication.

2 I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.

3 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.

4 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.

5 I cried out to You, O LORD:
I said, "You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.

6 Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.

7 Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me."

This cry for help is prayed out loud to God, not feebly in thought alone.  It was prayed and sung out by King David when he was hiding from Saul in a cave, where a loud sound might give his away his position and bring death as a result.  He prayed anyway.  He prayed with his voice and not thoughts of inner communion only, for it was important that he expressed himself to be heard and without fear in trust for his Deliverer.  We can learn quite a bit about vocalizing our cries to God from this example.  He poured out the problems and fears, the concerns and complaints, to His LORD when he was spiritually and emotionally overwhelmed inside.  Yet he prayed in confidence and expectant hope, knowing his life was in God’s omniscient and omnipotent hands all along.  God had mapped out the way for David, and he trusted the providence of God to bring him through the difficult times as well as the good ones.  Though enemies set clandestine traps to catch him, and the situation seemed hopeless as all abandoned him, yet he trusted in the One who truly cares for him to preserve his life.  Therefore, the psalmist cried out to the LORD with hope.  He knew the only refuge of protection was not deep in the cave in which he sheltered, but in the fortress who was his God (2 Samuel 22:2, Psalm 18:2, 144:2) and all he required for life to partake of as long as he lived on this earth.  When he was downtrodden and the situation grim with overpowering adversaries, the king looked to the King of kings and Lord of lords for deliverance.  The power was not in or of himself, but sourced from the Lord.  He then prayed for freedom from imprisonment so that he could praise God for the saving grace.  He wanted to be in the assembly of men made righteous (Romans 5:19) to exalt God for His bountiful mercy and goodness in His watchcare over him.  We can likewise pray in difficult times, when the waves wash over us (Psalm 42:7) and all seems hopeless.  Cry out loud then without doubt and fear as if cowering quietly in a cave, raising holy hands (1 Timothy 2:8, Psalm 134:2-3) in thankful praise of worship when overwhelmed by circumstances and adversaries.