Psalms — Chapter 13

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1How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

2How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

3Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

4Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

5But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

6I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

1How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou forget me for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

2How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

3Consider [and] answer me, O Jehovah my God: Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the [sleep of] death;

4Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; [Lest] mine adversaries rejoice when I am moved.

5But I have trusted in thy lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

6I will sing unto Jehovah, Because he hath dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 14 For the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of David.

1For the music director, a psalm of David. How long, Lord, will you continue to ignore me? How long will you pay no attention to me?

2How long must I worry, and suffer in broad daylight? How long will my enemy gloat over me?

3Look at me! Answer me, O Lord my God! Revive me, or else I will die.

4Then my enemy will say, “I have defeated him.” Then my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

5But I trust in your faithfulness. May I rejoice because of your deliverance.

6I will sing praises to the Lord when he vindicates me.

1How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

2How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart every day? How long shall my enemy triumph over me?

3Behold, and answer me, Yahweh, my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;

4Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; Lest my adversaries rejoice when I fall.

5But I trust in your loving kindness. My heart rejoices in your salvation.

6I will sing to Yahweh, because he has been good to me.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Videos
Reflection

Summary

A brief lament — David cries 'How long, O LORD?' four times, feeling forgotten and overwhelmed by his enemy, yet ends trusting in God's steadfast love and singing because God has dealt bountifully.

Authorship & Background

Author: Multiple authors — primarily David (73 psalms attributed), plus Asaph (12), Sons of Korah (11), Solomon (2), Moses (1), Heman (1), Ethan (1), and anonymous. The Psalter was compiled over approximately 1000 years and served as Israel's hymnal and prayer book. The book is divided into five 'books' (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150), paralleling the five books of Moses. Key themes: worship, lament, praise, trust, kingship, creation, wisdom, Messianic prophecy, and the full range of human emotion brought before God.
Classification: Individual Lament (Model Lament) Attributed Author: David — "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David" Key Themes: God's apparent forgetfulness, "how long?" repeated, the journey from despair to praise, trust in steadfast love, the decision to sing
Historical Context: Psalm 13 is considered the "model lament" — the shortest and most structurally perfect example of the lament genre. In just six verses it contains all the elements: complaint (vv.1-2), petition (vv.3-4), and confidence/praise (vv.5-6). The fourfold "how long?" (vv.1-2) expresses mounting frustration with God's silence. No specific historical occasion is identified, but the pattern fits David's years fleeing Saul — prolonged suffering with no visible end. The beauty of the psalm is its movement: it begins in abandonment and ends in singing, with no explanation of what changed between vv.4 and 5 except the decision to trust.
Structure:
  • Complaint: Four "How Long?" Questions (vv.1-2)
  • Petition: Three Requests (vv.3-4)
  • Praise: Trust and Singing (vv.5-6)

Map & Geography

  • No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.

Videos

The Bible Project — Psalms Overview

Reflection

  • 1. "How long?" is the prayer of endurance (vv.1-2). The question implies duration — you have already been waiting. Long-term suffering produces this prayer. It is legitimate, biblical, and heard by God. Bring your "how long?" to Him.
  • 2. The psalm moves from complaint to praise with NO external change (vv.4→5). Nothing happened between verses 4 and 5. The enemies didn't leave. God didn't audibly answer. David simply CHOSE to trust. This teaches that the turn from despair to faith is often a choice, not a circumstantial change.
  • 3. Past faithfulness grounds present trust (v.6). "He HATH dealt bountifully" — David remembers. When the present is dark, recall the past. God's track record is evidence. If He was faithful then, He is faithful now.
  • 4. Six verses — complete emotional journey. From the bottom of despair to singing praise in six verses. This psalm gives permission to feel everything AND to choose worship. The two are not contradictory. You can hurt AND trust simultaneously.
  • 5. The brevity is the power. This psalm does not explain, theologize, or defend. It simply models the complete cycle of faith under pressure. Use it as a template: name your complaint, bring your request, choose trust, decide to sing.