Psalms 13
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How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
6 I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Psalm 13:1-6
How Long, O Lord?
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Psalm 13:1-6
Psalm 13
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
Jeremy stumbles home. Anxiety loaded shoulders and a chest stretching from adrenaline propel him forward. His studio apartment hasn’t breathed since she left. McDonald’s has replaced her perfume in the air. Another drink helps busy eyes rest to slumber.
Light through the kitchen window woke him to another nightmare. At this point, life had become his only enemy. Every day made her 24 hours farther away. It was unacceptable. Unbelievable. Without his breath, without her, how could he live?
Like King David, he cried in agony, “How long, O Lord?” King David had enemies to fight. Jeremy - he just had reality. There was no enemy standing on his chest, but rather unlived dreams. It's true that sometimes our greatest enemies are visible, but usually not.
Loss. Grief. Trauma. They lay into us like no demon could manage. Like King David, we find ourselves shaken and outmatched by the realities of this fading Eden, this encroaching desert we call Earth.
Will we whimper a lament, or even praise? Will we clear our voice and join David in defiance of the Prince of Pain? Will you, in even the valley of the Shadow of Death, "rejoice in HIS salvation"?
Joshua Hester
Pastor, Waterloo, Iowa USA (as of this writing)
