Psalm 13:title–6 (ESV): 13 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How 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?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, 4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Though it’s true of every Psalm, it’s especially imperative to read and contemplate some of these ancient poems of David in their entirety before analyzing their parts. Psalm 13 is one of these. The three stanzas act as an ascent, a climax of sorts, following David from despair to delight.
This is a familiar scenario in our own lives, where trouble rouses our conscious to recognize our constant need for God’s help. We pray earnestly for God to show up, and after He has acted, we praise him and rejoice, and look back on all the other times wondering why we doubted in the first place.
This is beautiful. I most always start my day by reading what you have written. I look forward to it. In this negative world we need to remember God is in control and He will never leave us.