Psalm 142
The prophet Samuel had anointed David to be the next king. David had defeated the giant Goliath, who was the champion of the opposing Philistine army. King Saul had become consumed by jealousy of David’s fame. King Saul and his team were in pursuit of David to kill him. Running for his life, we find David hiding in a cave (1 Samuel 24:3). Here he prays the words of Psalm 142. Complaining about the troubles of life, David is turning to God for direction. What should I do? In this time and place, David realizes that he values God above all else. He later writes a song about the experience. David learned that when his life’s challenges were beyond his control, God was the best person to turn to. He learned that God cared about him. He poured out all his thoughts and feelings (about his troubles) to God who heard him and rescued him. This is why David would publicly thank God for everything.