Psalm 13.01-06 l HOW LONG O LORD?

Today's reading Psalms 10.01-17.15

Psalm 13.01-06 "How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul Having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;  Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken. But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me."

This Psalm is the cry of  David crying out to the LORD because of his affliction.

Psalm 13.01-02 David's Cry

David is literally down in the dumps. He asks the LORD "How long" four times in this portion. It is the cry of a desperate man wanting relief. He feels like the LORD has forgotten him and is no longer paying any attention to him. David is wrestling inwardly ("in my soul" Psalm 13.02) with his situation, seeing his enemies exalted over him. Sin is what separates us from God (Isaiah 59.02)

Psalm 13.03-04 David's Prayer

David asks that the LORD would look ("Consider" Psalm 13.03) at him and his situation and answer him.

"Enlighten my eyes" Psalm 13.03 was David's way of asking for divine wisdom for his situation. He fervently prayed this because he wanted to be rescued and not die ("sleep the sleep of death" Psalm 13.03). If he were to die, David then says that his enemy will rejoice over his death (Psalm 13.04).

Psalm 13.05-06 David's Trust

Up until now in this Psalm, we have essentially seen David with a "woe is me" attitude. But after he prays (Psalm 13.03-04), David's heart attitude changes. He took his eyes off of himself, and put them back on the LORD where they belong, for the LORD is our salvation and strength (Habakkuk 03.18-19).

"Lovingkindness" in Psalm 13.05 is the Hebrew word "hesed" which is often translated as mercy, unfailing or loyal love. So we see that David expressed his trust in the LORD's unfailing love.

Knowing in faith that his prayer was heard, David began to rejoice (Psalm 13.05) and sing to the LORD for giving him salvation and dealing "bountifully" (in Hebrew it means to deal fully or to ripen) towards him (Psalm 13.06).