Something interesting I just learned studying for this chat
on Psalm 142 is that this is the last of the psalms attributed to David that
relate to the years in which he was fleeing from Saul.  For other psalms that David wrote concerning
this particular period of his life see, Psalms 7, 34, 52, 54, 56, 57, and 59. The
title tells us that this is a psalm of David, written when he was in the cave.
It does not tell us which cave, whether it is the one at Adullam (1 Sam. 22) or
a cave in En Gedi (1 Sam. 24).

We should also note that Psalm 142 is a maschil psalm, (a
contemplation), a psalm that was written for instruction. David felt that the
lessons he had learned in his troubles should be recorded to help and encourage
others. For some reason this psalm did not find its way into the Hebrew
hymnbook for a very long time. It was given its place probably by King Hezekiah,
who could appreciate David's experiences, having gone through troubles enough
of his own.

For the background of this psalm, we need to remember David’s
experiences up to this point. David's troubles as a young man came swiftly to a
head at King Saul's court. After Saul had tried to have him murdered in his
bed, he fled to Naioth. He had a secret meeting with his loyal friend Jonathan
who promised to find out if it was safe for him to return home. Shortly
afterward Jonathan returned for a clandestine meeting with David and warned him
that his life was in danger. By this time King Saul was under the tormenting
influence of a demon. Nine times in two chapters he tried to have David murdered
(1 Samuel 19 and 20).

Thoroughly frightened, David fled to Philistia for
political asylum. It was a disastrous move and he escaped from Gath only by
feigning to be insane himself. It may be that his friends even questioned his faith
and his courage by doing something so crazy seek help from the hated
Philistines, especially the ones at Gath where Goliath was from. Back in
Israel, he sought refuge in the cave of Adullam, a big cave not far from the
famous "valley of the shadow." It was a natural refuge for the
beleaguered outlaw in a very dark and desperate time of his early years. David
pictured this time as being in a “prison” (v. 7).

But David finally did what God's people must always do in
times of crisis: he looked to the Lord for help. He knew very little about Saul
and his plans, but he did know about Jehovah and His great promises, and
because of his faith in these assurances, he triumphed over both his feelings
and his foes.

In verses 1-2, David not only cried aloud with his voice,
but he cried earnestly from his heart. He was a godly young man who had
faithfully served the Lord and his king, and yet there he was in a cave, hiding
like a guilty criminal. Later in life, David would understand more fully that
during those fugitive years in the wilderness, God was equipping him for the
work he would do the rest of his life, but at the time, his situation was
miserable. His feelings were so pent up within him that he "poured
out" his troubles (43:4; 62:8; 102 title) and his inner turmoil
("complaint").

God knew David's difficult situation better than he did,
but the Lord has ordained that our prayers are a part of His providential
answers. When we need bread, our heavenly Father wants us to come and ask (Luke
11:9-13). The word "trouble" means "in a tight place, in narrow
straits" (Psalms 120:1; 138:7; 143:11). David would learn that those
dangerous narrow places usually led to wider places and greater opportunities (Psalms
18:18-19; 4:1; 25:17).

My friend, no matter how dark and deep the hole or “cave”
we find ourselves alone in with our feelings of total abandonment from our family
and friends, we can be assured that the LORD hears our prayers!

God bless!