The Cave Psalms | Ryan Leak | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

The Cave Psalms

One Community Church • Jun 29, 2025 • 46 min

Start a Devotional

Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

Life often brings unexpected dark seasons and "caves" where external success masks internal pain, loneliness, or uncertainty. While we cannot always control when these difficult trials arrive, we retain full power over our posture in prayer, our song of praise, and our daily focus on God's character. As we bring our honest heart before the Lord, we discover that true peace comes from knowing Jesus, the Shepherd, personally rather than just knowing religious routine.

Themes

Trusting God in Dark SeasonsPosture of Prayer & DependencePraise and Worship in TrialsFocusing on God's FaithfulnessKnowing the Shepherd Personally

Pastor's Points

1.

Choice 1: Choose Your Posture

2.

Choice 2: Choose Your Song

3.

Choice 3: Choose Your Focus

Key Points

1.
Choice 1: Choose Your Posture — Decide ahead of time how you will respond to adversity through prayer and reliance on God rather than bitterness.
2.
Choice 2: Choose Your Song — Maintain an intentional practice of praise and worship regardless of favorable or unfavorable circumstances.
3.
Choice 3: Choose Your Focus — Direct your attention toward God's character and past faithfulness instead of dwelling exclusively on life's dark caves.
4.
We do not always get to choose when dark seasons or "caves" arrive, but we retain complete choice over our spiritual response while inside them.
5.
God's Word acts as an immediate personal light inside life's dark tunnels rather than a distant light at the end of them, illuminating our very next step.
6.
Holding onto a song of worship reminds us that our ultimate hope is built on Jesus Christ rather than temporary success, status, or comfort.
7.
David experienced deep vulnerability in his cave season, yet he used his previous victory over Goliath to anchor his faith that God would rescue him again.
8.
While we choose to worship and pray inside our cave, God actively works behind the scenes on our behalf to redirect trials and carry out His purpose.

Sermon Moments

“Posture is how you tell your problems who your God is.”

“If you can't hear from God, read from God. God's Word is not a light at the end of the tunnel; it's the light in the tunnel.”

“This week you got choices, and we can choose to match the energy or set the standard.”

“The devil can take a lot of things away from your life, but he cannot take your song.”

“So while David is in a cave worshiping, God is working on his behalf, redirecting his enemy.”

“If you're looking for dirt in a snowstorm, you'll find it every time. But if you are looking for the goodness of God, you'll never miss it because it's everywhere.”

“I know the psalm. He knows the Shepherd.”

This Week

Set your spiritual posture before facing difficult workplaces or challenging people, refusing to let negative environments dictate your heart and attitude.

When you struggle to hear God clearly in a dark or confusing season, open Scripture daily to receive light for your immediate next step.

Select a personal worship song or playlist to sing intentionally when anxiety, fear, or frustration tries to overwhelm you.

Practice laying out honest complaints, troubles, and prayers before God rather than bottling them up or relying solely on human support.

Reflect on past victories and answered prayers to remind yourself of God's power and faithfulness during current trials.

Audit your daily focus by actively searching for evidence of God's goodness around you rather than zeroing in on chaos or disappointment.

Invite Jesus to be your personal Shepherd today, moving beyond head knowledge about God into a trusting daily relationship with Him.

Remember This

Though you cannot always choose when a dark season comes, you can choose a posture of prayer, a song of worship, and a focus on the Shepherd who is actively working on your behalf.

A Challenge for You

In this series, I don't want you to just get to know more psalms. In the process, I want you to get to know the Shepherd. If you find yourself in a dark place, my friend, you need a Shepherd, and you have to invite Him in.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.