He leaned back against the cool, rough rock wall. He could hear water dripping somewhere in the intricate network of caves, and a number of contented snores floated to his ears.
A multitude of people showed up looking for him, and somehow word had exploded from there. When his family heard what had happened, and where he was they had...well they had also showed up looking for him. But it didn't end there. Anyone who was in debt, distress, or bitter in soul. They left their worlds behind to unite to a new cause.
They united to David's cause.
David wasn't really sure what his cause was anymore.
All he knew was that he needed help. More help then he could possibly give.
"Lord...," he whispered. Then he got up, and after rummaging through his personal belongings for a few minutes, walked outside the cave and into the moonlight.
This is what he did when he needed to work stuff out. When he needed to talk, ask forgiveness, or get angry.
He talked to God.
Lowering pen to paper, words spilled out of his heart and ascended to God's ears.
"Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge..."
Based on 1 Samuel 22:1-2, and Psalm 57:1 (Note: I am not saying this is when, how, or why David wrote this Psalm 57. I linked these two events together based on the information I could find, but this is not something I know for certain.)
"Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me." Psalm 66:20
"Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord; exult before him!" Psalm 68:4
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26
"I said, 'Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.' Then my spirit made a diligent search." Psalm 77:6
"You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways...Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me." Psalm 139:1-3 and 7-10
These are some of my favorite verses in Psalms. It's like a cut and paste Psalm. Most of these words were written by David, but not all of them. One thing we do know is that these words are written by men of God who went through hard, heart-breaking times, but came out of those times still connected to God.
There are seasons where you feel like you are wandering a desert. There are times of battle. There are times of trials and difficulties and confusion.
But you don't walk away from God!
David went through so much junk in his day. In the Psalms, you see him vent his frustration and confusion to God. He often didn't understand why things were happening this way, but he prayed, sang, and worked out his frustration talking to the One who was his strength. He never turned his back on God. He cried out to God for help.
I find this song to be very fitting. Desert Song by Hillsong.
This is one of my favorite, "I will not give up!" worship songs. I hope you guys liked it. Remember that no matter what you are going through, or who is standing against you, that God is with you. Cry out to the One who rides through the desserts. The One who has not removed His love from you. The One who hears your prayers. Give it all to Him, and grow closer to Him.
V. Joy Palmer
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