January 3rd
Psalm 13
Theme: How long?
Background: Under pressure, David feels forgotten by God.
13:1 “How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?”
Four times David cried out, “How long?” It is not always the intensity of a problem that causes the most distress but its length. Job rose to the distressing bad news about his family, wealth, and health but as time rolled by his faith wavered. Prolonged serious illness or shunning from former friends may cause you to cry out to God, “Will you forget me forever?” Like many other Psalms, this one also follows the pattern of pain-prayer-praise. Prayer is the pivotal point. Prayer is a Christian’s exercise field. Prayer lays the table and awaits the Lord to deliver the meal.
13:3 “Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death.”
David asked God to “bring light to my eyes in this pitch-black darkness” (The Passion Translation). Although we may feel abandoned, in reality we never will be because Jesus was forsaken in our place.
13:5“But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.”
In our impatience do we have a tendency to trust in self, experts, or just good luck? “But” - there is always a “but” - there is God’s ‘chesed’, grace. Have you experienced a ‘grace-but’? Have you learned that “My times are in your hand”? (Ps 4:7; 31:15) He knows you and listens to your short “how long” prayers. The turning point truly is open prayer which changes everything from sighing to singing.
THE PSALMS
THE PSALMS
Psalm 8-13
Psalm 13
How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
Psalm 13:1, New American Standard Bible
How long will You hide Your face from me?
Psalm 13:1, New American Standard Bible
Theme: How long?
Background: Under pressure, David feels forgotten by God.
13:1 “How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?”
Four times David cried out, “How long?” It is not always the intensity of a problem that causes the most distress but its length. Job rose to the distressing bad news about his family, wealth, and health but as time rolled by his faith wavered. Prolonged serious illness or shunning from former friends may cause you to cry out to God, “Will you forget me forever?” Like many other Psalms, this one also follows the pattern of pain-prayer-praise. Prayer is the pivotal point. Prayer is a Christian’s exercise field. Prayer lays the table and awaits the Lord to deliver the meal.
13:3 “Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death.”
David asked God to “bring light to my eyes in this pitch-black darkness” (The Passion Translation). Although we may feel abandoned, in reality we never will be because Jesus was forsaken in our place.
13:5“But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.”
In our impatience do we have a tendency to trust in self, experts, or just good luck? “But” - there is always a “but” - there is God’s ‘chesed’, grace. Have you experienced a ‘grace-but’? Have you learned that “My times are in your hand”? (Ps 4:7; 31:15) He knows you and listens to your short “how long” prayers. The turning point truly is open prayer which changes everything from sighing to singing.
______________________________
Question: How long can I go on? Answer: How deep is His love!
Question: How long can I go on? Answer: How deep is His love!