While the Wicked Love Evil, God's Goodness is Continual and His Judgment Will Follow

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Psalm 52:1) ( To the Chief Musician, Maschil, of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said to him, "David is come to the house of Ahimelech") Why boast you yourself in mischief, O mighty man? The goodness of God is continual.

One son of Ahimelech, Abiathar, had escaped the slaughter of the priests in Nob and came to David and told him all about it.  David remembered seeing Doeg in Nob at the same time he was there and knew he must have told Saul he saw David there.  He composed this psalm at that time.  He directed his comments to Doeg, asking him why he boasted of himself as a mighty man to do evil.  While he was continually evil, God on the other hand, was continually good.

(2) Your tongue devises mischiefs, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. (3) You love evil more than good, lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

David accused Doeg of having a tongue that was always devising mischief in one way or another, for Doeg loved evil more than he did righteousness.  His slanders and lies were like a sharp razor working deceitfully and mischievously.  He wasn't lying when he told Saul he had seen David, but he embellished the story (1 Samuel 22:10), and it was because of the deceit of Saul that he did what he did.  Knowing that Saul was lying about David, he could have kept silent if he loved righteousness more than evil, but he was happy to do the evil that Saul commanded.  Selah meant to pause and reflect.

(4) You love all devouring words, deceitful tongue. (5) God shall likewise destroy you forever; He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place, and root you out of the land of the living. Selah.

David accused Doeg of having a tongue that loved to destroy.  However, in the end, God would destroy him.  He would take him away, not only his body from the land of the living, but also his soul from eternal life.

(6) The righteous shall also see, and fear, and shall laugh at him; (7) Lo, the man who did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

The righteous would see the just punishment of God upon the wicked, specifically Doeg in this case, and they would reverence the Lord in fear of so holy and powerful a God.  I believe the laughter here is not derision and ridicule but rather rejoicing in the fact that wickedness does not triumph.  Doeg was a man who did not trust in the Lord to be his strength, but rather trusted in the abundance of his strong and powerful physical qualities, and he made himself more powerful through his wicked actions.

(8) But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.

David had confidence he would flourish in the house of God as a green olive tree would in the olive yard.  He trusted in his merciful God and would forever trust Him.

(9) I will praise you forever because of what You have done, and I will wait on Your name for it is good before Your saints.

David would forever praise the Lord for all the good He had done.  He would wait on the Lord with the expectation of only good as the Lord was always good to His saints who always looked to Him.

Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, pointed out that this psalm was quite different than most others and that it would probably never be the subject of any sermons as there may be questions as to the morality of it.  However, as the Bible is revelation from God, and always truthful and sometimes raw, we may look upon this, too, as a lesson for us.  The psalm refers to the character and conduct of an informer.  Quoting Mr. Barnes, "...in a world where such people would be found in all lands and times, it was proper that the character of such should be at least once held up in its true light, that men may see what it really is. Any bad man may make himself more odious by becoming an informer; any good man may suffer, as David did, from the acts of such a one; and hence, the case in the psalm may suggest useful lessons in every age of the world."  I would just add to that that the priests at Nob suffered even more from the actions of such an informer.

David Delivers Keilah and Abiathar Escapes to Tell David About the Slaughter of the Priests at Nob

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 23:1) Then they told David, saying, "Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing floors."

Before an interlude of psalms, Saul had Ahimelech and all the priests at Nob killed because he thought Ahimelech had conspired with David against him.  In fact, he had his servant Doeg kill all the people in Nob, even women, children, babies, and animals.  David had returned to Judah, and now he heard that the Philistines were fighting against Keilah, a city in Judah.  They were robbing the corn or grain that had been collected to thresh and winnow.

(2) Therefore David enquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go and strike these Philistines?" And the Lord said to David, "Go and strike the Philistines and save Keilah."

When David heard the news, he asked the Lord if he should go strike the Philistines.  Normally, David would not have hesitated to help his countrymen, but he was no longer under commission from King Saul and did not have a large army, besides the fact that it might be foolish for him to come out of hiding when Saul was looking to kill him.  However, the Lord told him to go and save Keilah from the Philistines.

(3) And David's men said to him, "Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?" (4) Then David enquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand."

There were just four hundred men with David (1 Samuel 22:2), and they were afraid of Saul there in Judah because they had joined David.  They were even much more afraid of going out to fight the Philistines with so few men.  For the sake of his men, David again asked the Lord if they should all go against the Philistines in Keilah, and the Lord told him to go, and He would deliver the Philistines into his hand.  That was encouragement to the men.

(5) So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their cattle, and struck them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

So David and his army of four hundred men went to Keilah where they defeated the Philistines and brought away their cattle, which probably meant they were theirs to begin with, and the Philistines had taken them, and now they brought them back.  Thus David had saved Keilah, or more precisely, the Lord had saved Keilah by delivering the Philistines into David's hand.

(1 Samuel 22:20) And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. 

Meanwhile, one of the sons of Ahimelech the priest at Nob, escaped the slaughter and came to David.

(1 Samuel 23:6) And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

Abiathar came to David in Keilah carrying an ephod in his hand, the garment that the high priest wore.

(1 Samuel 22:21) And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the Lord's priests. 

Abiathar told David about how Saul had killed the Lord's priests at Nob.

(22) And David said to Abiathar, "I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house."

David told Abiathar that when he had seen Doeg there in Nob, he knew he would tell Saul.  Although it was never his intention, he told Abiathar that he was the cause of his family's deaths.

(23) "Abide with me; fear not, for he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you are in safeguard."

David told Abiathar to remain with him because he, too, was in danger of being killed by Saul.  Actually, he realized that Saul's enmity against Abiathar was because of his hatred against himself, so David would defend the life of Abiathar as he defended his own life.

David's Prayer for Rescue from His Enemies

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Psalm 35:1) (A Psalm of David) Plead, O Lord, with them who strive with me; fight against them who fight against me.

At this time David was hiding out in Judah from Saul and his men who wanted to kill him.  He may have composed such a psalm as this at that time.  He asked the Lord to undertake his case against those who slandered and persecuted him, to fight against those who fought against him.

(2) Take hold of shield and buckler and stand up for my help. (3) Draw out also the spear and stop against them who persecute me; say to my soul, "I am your salvation."

The shield and buckler were defensive weapons; David asked that the Lord be his defense against his enemies.  He also asked that the Lord be offensive as well and stop his persecutors.  He asked that the Lord give him assurance that He would defend him against his enemies, that He would be his salvation.

(4) Let them be confounded and put to shame who seek after my soul; let them be turned back and brought to confusion who devise my hurt.

David prayed that his enemies be confounded and confused and even brought to shame that they sought the life of an innocent man; he prayed they be turned back from their evil intentions.

(5) Let them be as chaff before the wind and let the angel of the Lord chase. (6) Let their way be dark and slippery and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.

David prayed that his enemies be swept away by the angel of the Lord as if they were chaff in the wind.  He wished their way to be difficult.  Although David may have wished for the Lord to persecute his enemies, the original word "radaph" was more often translated as "pursued."  Let the angel of the Lord pursue them and make their way and their plans for evil difficult.

(7) For without cause they have hid for me their net, a pit; without cause they have digged for my soul.

David reasoned with the Lord that his enemies should be pursued because without cause they had laid traps for him and dug pits into which he might fall.

(8) Let destruction come upon him at unawares and let his net that he has hid catch himself; into that very destruction let him fall.

David prayed that destruction come upon his singular enemy, which would have to be Saul, when he least expected it, that the traps he had set for David catch himself.  He wished his enemy to fall into the very destruction that he had designed for David.

(9) And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation. (10) All my bones shall say, "Who is like You, who delivered the poor from him who is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him who spoils him?"

David would be so very joyful in his deliverance by the Lord that all the bones of his body, as well as his soul, would rejoice, for there was no one like the Lord who delivered the weak from the strong and the needy from the plunderer and robber.

(11) False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. (12) They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

False witnesses had risen up against David accusing him of things of which he had no knowledge.  They rewarded him with evil when he had only sought to do good for them.  This grieved his soul.

(13) But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned to my own bosom.

Before they became his enemies, when they had been sick, as when Saul was plagued with the evil spirit, he was grieved and mourned for them.  I believe the meaning of his prayer returning to his own bosom, was that although it did not help them, his future enemies, God rewarded such actions of love and sacrifice in that the good for which he prayed for them was returned by the Lord to him.

(14) I behaved myself as though my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily as one who mourns his mother.

David had treated Saul and his servants as if they were his brothers and friends.  He had cared deeply when Saul was plagued by the evil spirit.  These sentiments could very easily be attributed to Jesus.  He came to His own people and gave them His all, treating all of them with love as if they were all His friends and brothers, but they had rejected Him.  Perhaps as it was Saul whom David mainly spoke about, this compares more directly with Judas whom He had made one of His closest friends.  Christ had wept over Jerusalem and had a very tender concern for her people (Luke 19:41) even though they had rejected Him.

The Bible commentators I study constantly compare David's psalms to Jesus.  David often wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, perhaps more than I have given credit.  Maybe that is why David was a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22), even though he was a very flawed man who sinned greatly.  Acts 13:22 also said that God had chosen him to fulfill all His will.  Perhaps a big part of that was to lay out in psalms the coming Messiah.

(15) But in my adversity, they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I did not know; they tore at me and did not cease, (16) With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

David's enemies rejoiced in his adversity and gathered themselves together against him in secrecy.  They came after him constantly in wrath, which is what the gnashing of teeth usually represented, and scorn and mockery.  These could have easily been the words of Jesus at His crucifixion.

(17) Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my only one from the lions.

David wondered how long the Lord would allow him to go through his afflictions before He rescued him.  David had full confidence that the Lord saw everything he was going through, and he knew that the Lord could rescue him, and he pleaded for Him to rescue his only soul from his enemies' destructions.

(18) I will give You thanks in the great congregation; I will praise You among much people.

When David was delivered and able to attend the tabernacle and other public assemblies, he would publicly praise God in honor and thanksgiving.

(19) Let not those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me, nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.

David prayed that his enemies not be allowed to rejoice over him unjustly with lies and sharing inside secrets, those who hated him without cause.

(20) For they speak not peace, but they devise deceitful matters against the quiet in the land. (21) Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, "Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen."

David's enemies did not speak peace but were very quarrelsome and threatening.  They devised deceitful schemes misrepresenting those who wished to live peaceably in the land.  His enemies specifically spoke out against David, as if they had actually detected some misconduct on his part.

(22) You have seen, O Lord; do not keep silence. O Lord, do not be far from me. (23) Stir up Yourself and awake to my judgment, to my cause, my God and my Lord.

David knew the Lord had seen all that his enemies had done and said against him.  He prayed that the Lord be close to him and hear him and help him.  He asked that the Lord rise up and execute judgment for him, on his behalf for his cause.

(24) Judge me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me. (25) Let them not say in their hearts, "Ah, so would we have it." Let them not say, "We have swallowed him up."

David prayed that the Lord judge between him and his enemies according to what David knew was His righteous judgment.  He prayed that his enemies not be able to rejoice over him and congratulate themselves because they had destroyed him.

(26) Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together who rejoice at my hurt; let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify against me.  

He asked that his enemies, those who rejoiced at his hurt, be brought to shame and confusion, unable to execute their plans against him.  Let those who exalted themselves over him to make themselves great by destroying him, be covered with shame and dishonor.

(27) Let them shout for joy and be glad who favor my righteous cause. Yea, let them say continually, "Let the Lord be magnified who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant."

David desired that his supporters be able to shout for joy because the Lord had delivered him.  He prayed that they continually exalt the Lord's greatness because of what He had done to deliver and prosper His servant, David.

(28) And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness, of Your praise all the day long.

David himself would forever speak of the Lord's righteousness in delivering him and sing His praises all day long.  Augustine, the Christian theologian and philosopher of the 300-400's wrote that while it might seem impossible to actually sing praises to the Lord all day long, that we praise the Lord when we do good.  If we always strive to be Christ-like, we are honoring and praising Him.

Saul Kills the Priests at Nob

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

David had returned to the land of Judah, his own tribe, upon the counsel of the prophet Gad.

(1 Samuel 22:6) When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men with him (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing about him), 

Saul's residence was in Ramah.  He was there, with a spear forever in his hand, it seems, and all his servants were around him.  He heard that David's whereabouts had been discovered.

(7) Then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, "Hear now, you Benjamites, will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? (8) That all of you have conspired against me and none who shows me that my son has made a league with the son of Jesse, and none of you is sorry for me, or shows to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?"

Upon hearing the whereabouts of David, Saul asked his servants if David would give them fields and vineyards and make them captains so that they would betray Saul and conspire against him.  He suspected that his son Jonathan was in league with David, yet none of his servants would tell him what they knew.  Were they at all concerned for him that they wouldn't tell him what they knew about Jonathan stirring up David against him, as he assumed was the case.

(9) Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. (10) And he enquired of the Lord for him and gave him victuals and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine."

Doeg, Saul's chief herdsman (1 Samuel 21:7), had seen David when he was with Ahimelech.  He now spoke up and told Saul about it.  He told him that the priest had given David food and the sword of Goliath, but he also added that Ahimelech had inquired of the Lord for David, but we were not told that that had happened.

(11) Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests in Nob, and they came all of them to the king.

Saul then sent for Ahimelech the priest and all his family who were also priests in Nob, and they all came to him.  It is important to note that these priests were the descendants of Eli, the priest to whom Hannah had dedicated her son Samuel so that he might minister to the Lord all his life.

(12) And Saul said, "Hear now, you son of Ahitub." And he answered, "Here I am, my lord." (13) And Saul said to him, "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?"

Saul asked Ahimelech why he had conspired against him to help David to give him bread, a sword, and had inquired of the Lord for him, so that he could rise up in rebellion against him, and to lie in wait, waiting for an opportunity to seize his crown and kingdom, as Saul supposed were David's intentions.

(14) Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, "And who is so faithful among all the servants as David who is the king's son-in-law and goes at your bidding and is honorable in your house? (15) Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? Be it far from me; let not the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father, for your servant knew nothing of all this, less or more."

Ahimelech answered the king, first telling him that he knew David to be the honorable son-in-law of the king, faithful to do whatever the king asked of him.  However, he said that it was far from him to have inquired of the Lord for him, which I suppose must have been a duty which he owed to Saul alone as king of Israel.  He then asked Saul not to charge him or his family with any treason against the king, as he knew nothing about ill feelings between Saul and his son-in-law.

(16) And the king said, "You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house." (17) And the king said to the footmen who stood about him, "Turn and slay the priests of the Lord because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not show it to me." But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord.

Saul told Ahimelech that he and his family would die because of what he considered treason against the king.  He told his footmen who were standing around him to kill all the priests of the Lord who were before him because he considered them conspirators with David against him.  He accused them of knowing where David had fled and not telling him where.  However, the footmen would not kill the priests of the Lord.

(18) And the king said to Doeg, "You turn and fall upon the priests!" And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod.

Saul then told Doeg to kill the priests, which he did, eighty-five of them.  This fulfilled a promise of God that He would end Eli's descendants' reign as priests because of the iniquity of his sons, and Eli had done nothing to restrain them (1 Samuel 3:12-14).  The Biblical commentators I study pointed out that Doeg was again called the Edomite to separate him from the nation of Israel.  The Edomites were a brutal and violent people who hated Israel.  They descended from Esau, Jacob's brother, who traded his birthright for red stew.  He was called Edom after that which meant "red."  Doeg had no problem killing any Israelites even if they were priests.

(19) And Nob, the city of priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants, and oxen, and donkeys, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

So ruthless was Doeg that he killed all the inhabitants of Nob, even women, children, and even babies, and all animals.  However, the order surely came from Saul which made this the most wicked and cruel act of his, showing he was totally under the influence of the evil spirit that plagued him.

Preserve My Life from Fear of the Enemy

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 22:3) And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, "Let my father and my mother, I pray you, come forth to be with you, till I know what God will do for me."

David had previously escaped to a cave and dwelt there.  His family heard he was there and came to him with many other people who desired to help David.  Now he left the cave and went to Mizpah in Moab.  He asked the king of Moab to allow his parents to stay there until he received instructions from the Lord.  David knew his parents would not be safe within reach of Saul.  Perhaps since his father was the grandson of Ruth the Moabitess, David thought his parents would be safe there in Moab.

(4) And he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.

David brought his parents to the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time David was in hiding, in his place of defense, in the cave or in another stronghold.

(5) And the prophet Gad said to David, "Abide not in the hold, depart, and get to the land of Judah." Then David departed and came into the forest of Hareth.

A prophet named Gad came to David and told him not to abide where he was but to go to the land of Judah.  It appears that David must have been still in Moab, and the prophet told him he should go to Judah, David's own tribe.  So David departed and went to the forest of Hareth, where exactly that was is unknown, but I'm sure it was in Judah.  He may have composed the following psalm at that time, as it is said that according to the Syriac Orthodox Church that played a crucial role in the transmission of Biblical texts and theological writings, this psalm was "composed by David when warned by Gad the prophet..."

(Psalm 64:1) (To the Chief Musician, a Psalm of David) Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer; preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

It seems odd that at this time David would be writing songs to the chief musician, but it shows that the psalm was not designed as an expression of mere private prayer but was intended to be used again in the later worship of God.  He probably gave that heading sometime after he wrote the psalm.

David apparently cried out to the Lord with his voice and asked the Lord to hear his prayer.  David certainly wished that his life be preserved, but he was actually praying that he be preserved from fear of the enemy.  He needed help to "Fear not."  He prayed that his faith and trust in the Lord be so strong that he would not be afraid of his enemy.  Or perhaps it was more like he prayed that his situation change so that he had no reason to fear an enemy.

(2) Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked, from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity.

David prayed that the Lord protect him from the secret plans of the wicked who were pursuing him.  David did not know what their secret plans were, but God knew, and He could protect him from whatever they were.  He prayed for protection from secret plans and also outward violence from those workers of iniquity.

(3) Who whet their tongue like a sword and aim their bitter words like arrows. (4) That they may shoot in secret at the perfect; suddenly do they shoot at him and fear not.

These wicked workers of iniquity used injurious and slanderous words against David.  They attacked him with lies.  They lay in wait to secretly attack the upright with no fear of God nor man that what they were doing was wrong.  Saul, as king, felt he was the law, but apparently he had no fear of the Lord, for he surely knew he sought to kill an innocent man.

(5) They encourage themselves in an evil matter; they commune of laying snares secretly; they say, "Who shall see them?"

The wicked enemies of David talked themselves into a frenzy, convincing themselves with their reasonings and arguments that they were justified in pursuing David.  They discussed their plans for laying traps for him with no fear that anyone would see them.

(6) They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search; both the inward of every one and the heart is deep.

They searched out evil schemes; they examined every plan.  Both the inward thoughts and the secret desires of the hearts of every one of his enemies were deep, crafty, and cunning, so as not to be searched out and fully known.

(7) But God shall shoot at them an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

However, David knew that God knew their secret plans, and He would destroy them with a single arrow.  Very suddenly, God would take them unaware.

(8) So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves; all who see them shall flee away.

The evil things David's enemies had discussed and schemed would come upon themselves.  Those who saw what happened to them would flee for fear the same might come upon them. 

(9) And all men shall fear and shall declare the work of God, for they shall wisely consider His doing.

All men would fear and reverence the Lord when they observed the judgments of God.  They would wisely realize it was indeed the work of God.

(10) The righteous shall be glad in the Lord and shall trust in Him, and all the upright in heart shall glory.

The righteous who observed those judgments would be glad in the Lord and would trust in Him to deliver them as He had done for David.  The upright in heart would rejoice as they had cause for trust and triumph.

The fact that David indicated this psalm was to be presented to the chief musician showed his desire that it be an everlasting model of worship.  Indeed, it is a perfect model of prayer.  David earnestly asked for deliverance from his enemies and then showed his confident faith in God that his deliverance was sure.

God is My Refuge

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 22:2) And everyone in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him, and he became a captain over them, and there were with him about four hundred men.

(1 Chronicles 12:17) And David went out to meet them and answered and said to them, "If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit to you, but if to betray me to my enemies, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers look and rebuke." 

After David left Gath, he escaped to a cave called Adullam.  When they heard he was there, David's family and people from his tribe came to him.  It seems that everyone who was discontented with Saul's government in one way or another, also came to David. He went out to meet all the people who had come to him and told them that if they had come to help him, his heart would be as one with theirs, but if they had come to betray him to Saul, since he had done nothing wrong against Saul, David called on God to look upon them and judge.  He became a captain over them as they desired to help him against Saul.  He gathered about four hundred men.

(18) Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, "We are yours, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse; peace, peace unto you, and peace to your helpers, for your God helps you. Then David received them and made them captains of the band.

The Holy Spirit came over Amasai, chief of the captains, and he told David that they were all on his side, and he wished peace to David and all who helped him, for he knew it was God who helped him.  David then received all the people who had come to him and made them captains of his troop.  

(Psalm 142:1) (Maschil of David, a prayer when he was in the cave) I cried to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord did I make my supplication.

It was at this time while David was dwelling in the cave that he composed this short psalm.  The word "maschil" literally meant "instructive"; therefore it seems that David intended this psalm to provide insight and impart wisdom.  It may be that David didn't assign that title until sometime after he composed it when he recalled it during times of trouble and saw it as a template of prayer.  David cried out to the Lord with his humble request.

(2) I poured out my complaint before Him; I showed before Him my trouble.

David poured out his heart before the Lord, telling Him of all his troubles.

(3) When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way where I walked have they secretly laid a snare for me.

When David was overwhelmed by his troubles, God knew exactly what was going on, better than David did.  He knew that where David went his enemies had laid traps for him.

(4) I looked on my right hand and beheld, but no man who would know me; refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

David had previously had servants at his right hand to help him, but at that time there had been no one.  His refuge in the cave had failed him because there was no way he could escape and go find help.  He felt he had no one who cared to save his life.

(5) I cried to You, O Lord. I said, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."

David's cave as a refuge had failed him, man had failed him, but he knew that God was his refuge, the only one he could count on 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.

David asked that the Lord hearken to his cry because he had been brought very low in his spirit and in physical things as he was surely hungry, weak, and exhausted.  He prayed that the Lord deliver him from those who persecuted him for they were stronger (and much greater in number) than he was.

(7) Bring my soul out of prison that I may praise Your name. The righteous shall compass me about for you shall deal bountifully with me.

David prayed that the Lord bring him out of his prison there holed up in a cave that he might again be able to give God all the glory and praise His name publicly for his deliverance.  He had faith that someday the righteous would flock to him and surround him because the Lord had delivered him and blessed him so abundantly.  Interestingly, the original word "kathar" that was translated as "compass" also means "to crown."  David knew that the Lord had chosen him to be His king, and he had faith that that would come to pass.  And of course, the Lord did answer David's prayer and sent many people to the cave to help him.

Prayer for Guidance and Protection

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 22:1) David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave Adullam, and when his brethren and all his father's house heard, they went down there to him.

David departed from Gath when he had acted mad before the king of Gath, and the king threw him out.  He escaped to a cave called Adullam.  When his brothers and all his family heard he was there, they went to him.

(1 Chronicles 12:16) And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold to David.

According to the chronological order I am following that was arranged by Skip Andrews, 1 Chronicles 12 tells of the same time.  There came many people from David's tribe and from the tribe of Judah to him.  Mr. Andrews suggested that David might have written the following psalm at that time:

(Psalm 141:1) (A Psalm of David) Lord, I cry to You; make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry to You!

David cried out to the Lord.  He pleaded with the Lord to hurry as his need was urgent.  God's timing is always the best, but David usually received speedy answers from God because his faith and trust in Him was so great.  He desired a speedy answer now and asked God to hear his cry.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, pointed out how it seemed that so many of David's psalms began with complaints.  For one thing, he very often was in trouble, but also David's psalms were not formal writings, but actual meditations of his heart.  He spoke to God about whatever was going on in his heart and his mind.  He didn't guard his words; he was an open book who spoke to his Father and closest friend candidly.

(2) Let my prayer be set before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands the evening sacrifice.

This is a very beautiful illustration of prayer.  David desired that his prayer ascend up to the Lord as incense and that it be as acceptable.  As David lifted up his hands to heaven, he desired that God look upon those as favorably as He would the lifting up of the evening sacrifice.  Actually, David offered his body as a living sacrifice to do what God would have him do.  As Paul said in Romans 12:1, we should present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.  

(3) Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

David asked that the Lord guard his mouth, that he not speak anything rash and ill advised, but rather he would speak what the Lord would have him speak.

(4) Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies.

David prayed that the Lord keep his heart from being inclined to do anything evil.  Actually, as we are all fallen sinners, born into sin, without God we would be inclined to do evil.  David prayed that God keep him from that and from wicked men.  He prayed that he not be drawn to them by their temptations they set before him as delicacies.

(5) Let the righteous strike me, a kindness, and let him reprove me, an excellent oil which shall not break my head, for yet my prayer also is in their calamities.

David preferred the harsh reproval of righteous men to the deceitful delicacies of the wicked.  He considered the reprimand of righteous men a kindness like an excellent oil that would not harm him but help him.  He would never resent such loving counsel and would always be there for them to pray for them in their troubles, as they had been there for him.

(6) When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words, for they are sweet.

This verse is a little difficult.  Who exactly was David talking about?  I tend to think it referred to the righteous who rebuked David.  When their leaders fell, when they found themselves in their calamities, they would hear the sweet words of David's prayers as he would be there for them.  Many commentators thought it referred to David's enemies, but I don't think that is in context with the verses before and after this one.

(7) Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth as when one cuts and cleaves wood upon the earth.

David used a plural pronoun.  Does he refer to those with him or to all people who were at death's door, those who were scattered and disregarded, because Satan ruled the world?  Peter said in 1 Peter 5:8 that our adversary, the devil, roamed about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he might devour. 

(8) But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord, in You is my trust; do not leave my soul destitute.

However, David's eyes were always on the Lord, and in Him alone he put his full trust and confidence.  He asked that the Lord never leave his soul destitute and defenseless but let his soul continually be surrounded and protected by Him.

(9) Keep me from snares they have laid for me and the gins of the workers of iniquity.

David prayed that the Lord protect and keep him from the snares his enemies had laid for him and from the traps of wicked men.

(10) Let the wicked fall into their own nets while I escape.

He prayed that the wicked would fall into their own traps, that their schemes would entrap and expose them as David was able to escape.

In this psalm of David's, he desired that his request be acceptable to the Lord.  Yes, he desired protection from his enemies, but he also wished to be pure and to resist temptations to sin.  He wished to be reproved by righteous men who would help keep him on the right righteous path.  He would never resent them, but always be with them, as they were all of them prey to the evil one.