295 – Psalm 13 – How long?

Last time I listed some observations I made in Psalm 13, we covered the first one. Let’s see how far down the list we make it this time, starting with the second and third observations.

1. The Psalm’s title informs us David intended this Psalm he wrote to be put to music and sung by Israel.
2. David uses God’s proper name three times in this six-verse Psalm.
3. There are five questions David asks of Yahweh God. All but one of them begins with the words “how long”.  (verses 1-2).
4. David makes one request of Yahweh (verses 3-4). It has two parts.
   1. “Consider and hear me”
   2. “Enlighten my eyes”.
5. David makes one statement about what he has done (verse 5).
6. There is one proclamation of what David will do containing two parts. (verse 6).
   1. My heart shall rejoice.
   2. I will sing to Yahweh.

If you’ve been reading my devotional posts for a while, you’ll note that I often mention God’s personal name, Yahweh. The translators cleverly disguise it as the word “LORD”. When I copy/paste the verses I try to put [Yahweh] in for the word “LORD”, because it is His personal name. I am convinced God wants us to not only know His name but actually use it in our relationship with Him, and when we talk with others about Him. When we see David addressing God as Yahweh it is a strong indicator that he actually had a personal relationship with God.

Psalm 13:1-2 (NKJV)

           1       How long, O [Yahweh]? Will You forget me forever?

    How long will You hide Your face from me?

           2       How long shall I take counsel in my soul,

    Having sorrow in my heart daily?

    How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

Because the phrase shows up three times in the first two verses, we could refer to them as the “how long” verses. David is feeling distant from God and is pleading for a response from Him. He feels abandoned and forgotten by the sovereign of the universe and it pains him. It is important however to point out that David’s feelings do not represent the truth. We know from other biblical passages that God “never leaves, nor forsakes” His children (believers). We too would be well advised to remember our feelings can be misleading. How could an omnipresent (everywhere all the time) God be absent? 

There is almost an acquisition against God in David’s query. It’s as if he is saying things like, “you have forgotten me. How long is that going to last? You have hidden your face from me, but for how long?” And so on. I would like to suggest if Yahweh ever seems distant from us it is time to reflect. It’s time to do what David did and press in for some answers. If Yahweh has allowed Himself to be aloof from us is it because we have unconfessed sin getting in the way between us and Him? Or could it be Yahweh wants us to expend some effort to seek Him out? Whatever the reason might be it is not a time for discouragement and drawing back, but rather a time of action! Pray and seek His face! Step up your time in His word.

Psalm 13:3 (NKJV)

     3 Consider and hear me, O [Yahweh] my God;

    Enlighten my eyes,

    Lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Look at observation four above which was made in verse three. This simple petition should be so practiced by us that it becomes second nature every time we approach Yahweh in prayer. I don’t know about you, but I usually lead with, “Hey God, I need…..”

We want God to hear us when we pray right? Then why not asks as David did that Yahweh would hear us and actually consider our petitions? What if we actually prayed and asked Yahweh to “enlighten my eyes”? And what if He regularly answered that prayer?? Can you imagine coming to God in prayer with a particular perspective on our situation, laying it at His feet, and walking away with His perspective? Wouldn’t that be powerful, even life-changing?

I must tell you the more I’m in God’s Holy Word the more convinced that He is an intensely loving God who is truly worthy of all praise, worship, and adoration.