Insight for Today
A Daily Devotional by Pastor Chuck Swindoll

The raw emotion of David's prayer in Psalm 142 comes through clearly in his choice of words. In his Cave of Adullam, the beleaguered future king struggled with depression and shrieked heavenward.

David's depression most likely resulted from an unusually long period of stress. The superscript for Psalm 142, identifying David's circumstances as "in the cave," probably refers to the cave of Adullam.

Who hasn't struggled with those demoralizing seasons of dark sadness? Everyone suffers from grief and sorrow from time to time. But depression is a different matter. Like a disease, it's very common, but it's not "normal."

David no longer looks up (as in verses 1–18) nor around (as in verses 19–22); he now looks within. He wants to be God's man at any cost, so he invites the Lord to make a thorough examination of him down deep inside.

As David thought about God's intricate design of humanity in Psalm 139, and he pondered the Lord's loyal love for each individual He took such care to fashion and endow with purpose, the king grew angry at the enemies of God.

David's song about God paid close attention to His design of the human body and the individual care He gives to each conception. No individual life escapes His care, and He endows each person with a purpose.

We are a species of wonder. No one would argue that the human body is a phenomenal combination of strength, beauty, coordination, grace, and balance on the outside. But if you think the outside is remarkable, just glance inside.

Psalm 139 links us with God. This song, like few other passages of Scripture, connects us with our Creator. It answers four of the most frequently asked questions that come to our minds about God.

There were times in my childhood when I would become fearful at night. (You may recall having similar feelings.) At those times I would grab the covers and snatch them over my head.

All right, so God knows me and controls me; He can do that at a distance, through millions and millions of light years of space. But is He near? According to Psalm 139, David's song about the amazing attributes of God, yes.

The Lord remains in complete control of the smallest details of His creation; He is all-knowing and all-powerful. Knowing us as He does, He puts the necessary controls upon us. The fact that He "encloses" us could be misunderstood.

If you've ever been a part of a large organization, such as a multibillion-dollar corporation or a governmental agency or a university, it's unlikely you've ever met the people at the top of the leadership chain.

Most folks struggle with feelings of insignificance from time to time . . . For some, feeling insignificant is not simply a periodic battle; it is a daily grind! We know deep down inside we're valuable.

Did God respond to the plea of Psalm 137? Absolutely! After seventy years in exile, every Jew who wanted to return to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and restore the temple was allowed to do so. And the Jews learned their lesson.

The composer of Psalm 137 acknowledged the sorrow of his situation, recognizing that Judah had brought this chastisement upon themselves. But he didn't stay in the doldrums.

After relating the anguish of lingering consequences in Psalm 137:1–3, the writer does a little self-analysis. His perspective shifts from looking outward to searching within. He asks a reasonable question in verse 4.

The historical background of Psalm 137 is very sad. The people of God failed to heed centuries of warnings and found themselves living with the consequences of disobedience.

No one can deny the relentless pain brought on by enduring the consequences of wrong actions. It may be as quick and simple as the sting following a swat from a parent's paddle or as lingering and severe as a prison sentence.

As is true of all of us on special occasions, David had learned a truth that was so exciting he had to share it. He wanted his entire nation to enter into this joyous experience with him.

Having chosen to enter a season of quietness, stepping back from public view, David examines the effect of humility on his soul. Psalm 131 contains several curious word pictures.