Aleethia!

This lesson was taught on Sunday morning, 08-10-2008.

Sometimes it seems the Lord is far away and you can’t feel his presence. It seems like he has abandoned you just at the moment when you need him most. David felt that way and wrote about it in the Psalms.

In Psalm 13 we’ll look at the journey from sorrow and desolation, to joy and rejoicing. The hinge between the two, we’ll see, is prayer.

The Psalm can be divided into 3 parts which Spurgeon has labeled

the question of anxiety, 1, 2; the cry of prayer, 3, 4; the song of faith, 5, 6. ¹

Taking verses one and two let’s look at “the question of anxiety.” What is meant, is the question we ask of God while suffering from anxiety. Do you know the question? It is in the text four times.

How long?

That is the question. Have you ever felt that way toward God? Just asking him “How long will I have to suffer through this? How long till I’m out from under my parent’s authority? How long till…?”

We are told in Scripture that those who wait on the Lord will be blessed (Psalm 147:11, Isaiah 40:31, Lamentations 3:25). Yet how hard it is for us to wait! Impatient creatures we are, especially us Americans. We want everything at the speed of a microwave.

When sorrow is upon us, it seems to linger.

Sorrows…are lingering guests…the more they are made of the longer they will continue… ²

David too suffered from this impatience. He asks four times “how long?”.

First he asks,

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?

He feels as if God has forsaken him. Nothing is going his way. He can’t sense the presence of God in his life. He feels completely and utterly alone and forgotten. Can God forget his children? NO! The Bible clearly teaches us that God our Father will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Nonetheless, David feels this way when he writes this Psalm, and we also feel this way at times. It is a misperception, an impatience, a self-pity that we should not engage in. As Christians, we are accompanied by the indwelling Spirit of God at all times. Nothing can separate us from his love (Romans 8:35-39).

How long will you hid your face from me?

The blessing and peace of the Lord is associated with his face being turned upon us. The priestly blessing that our pastor says during the benediction is taken from Numbers 6.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. - Numbers 6:24-26

So by this expression the Psalmist thinks that the blessing of the Lord, his favor and peace, have been removed from him. How often do we, in the midst of trials and sorrows, feel that God has withdrawn from us his blessing?

Notice there is no mention of sin or repentance in this Psalm. This is not a case of God’s anger or wrath toward David. This is a matter of sorrow.

How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?

When we are sorrowful, are we not like David? We tend to think upon and ponder the cause of our grief so much that we can’t move past it, we keep it fresh in our mind and heart, when our focus should be on God, his glory, and his work in our lives.

When we focus on our sorrow what happens? We become bitter, angry, sullen, despondent, depressed, etc.

Are these godly responses? No, our response should be what? Thankfulness for all God has done and continues to do for us. If you wake up tomorrow, you should be thankful. We are told in Philippians that we should rejoice and give thanks to God, while making known our requests, but the thankfulness will produce peace which will guard our hearts and minds. Sorrow is a matter of the heart. The way to guard your heart against sorrow is not to focus on the sorrow, or cause thereof, but to focus on Jesus.

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

It is bitter medicine to see others rejoicing and enjoying success when you are suffering in misery and sorrow, feeling defeated and forsaken by God. Our enemy, Satan, greatly rejoices to see us suffering and depressed with sorrow. He is especially joyful if we are focused on our sorrow instead of Jesus.

We should be careful how we deal with people. When you are in this kind of sorrow and someone is short or harsh with you about anything else, it hurts. Often our reaction is to lash out in anger. We don’t always know what someone is going through. Therefore, we should always strive to be gentle and patient. I”m not good at this myself, so I feel like a bit of a hypocrite telling you this. Just know that I’m learning this along with you.

In these first two verses David expresses his sorrow and grief. In the next two he turns to prayer as a remedy for his sorrow.

He is still feeling neglected so he prays for God to hear him. This feeling of being disconnected from the Savior is dreadful for one who loves him with a whole heart.

Notice his affirmation of faith when he prays

O Lord my God

His request is for God to

light up my eyes

We could see this in two ways.

First, a lightening of the eyes to see the working of God in our lives. In the darkness of dispare we are often blind to God’s presence and blessing. When God opens our eyes and pours the light of Christ into our hearts (2 Corinthians 4:6), then we begin to see.

Second, a plea for encouragement. If someone’s eyes are lit up, they are not just happy, but excited. Their face is bright, there is a sparkle in the eyes. David is asking God to overcome his depression and give him joy again. When you are depressed, it is not selfish to ask God to give you joy. True joy comes from God in the first place (Romans 15:13), so where else would you seek it?

lest I sleep the sleep of death

If his sorrow is not overcome, he thinks he will die. In good times we, as believers, look forward to our time in glory. Still, we don’t want to face the moment of physical death. When the soul is overcome with sorrow, the prospect of death is even more dreadful.

lest my enemy say, ‘I have prevailed over him,’ lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

David appeals to God for help, with the argument that his enemy would prevail and become arrogant. God will not allow our ultimate defeat.

It is well for us that our salvation and God’s honour are so intimately connected, that they stand or fall together. ³

God’s glory is showcased in our salvation. It is not wrong for us to ask God to look out for his own glory.

The last two verses show the resulting change in David’s mental and emotional state as a result of his prayer. Did God bless him and remove the source and cause of his sorrow? Not in the space between verses 4 and 5. His joy comes not from the removal of sorrow, but rather from the recognition of God’s presence by the exercising of his faith. If your faith feels weak, remember that

faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. - Romans 10:17

Get yourself to the Scriptures. Take God’s Word into your soul when you are depressed, and your faith will be strengthened.

But I have trusted in your steadfast love;

In the past, David has trusted in God. He recognizes that God’s love is not fickle, but steadfast (resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering). He still enjoys the warmth of that love, even in the midst of his sorrow. Which leads to

my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

David has seen the reason for celebration in the midst of sorrow. Our sorrow here on earth is finite and limited. Our sure salvation is eternal and unending. We should rejoice and be glad that God has saved us for himself.

If you are in the pits of despair and need a pick-me-up, refresh in your mind the Gospel. It will bring rejoicing to your heart.

I will sing to the Lord

His rejoicing takes the form of song. He is in quite a different state of mind than he was at the beginning of the Psalm.

because he has dealt bountifully with me.

He now see’s God’s blessings on his life, even in a time of sorrow. Before prayer, he was distraught thinking God had abandoned him. After prayer he is rejoicing with song over the abundant blessings of the Lord.

Prayer is the hinge between sorrow and joy.

1. Charles H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David (Hendrickson Publishers) Vol 1, p151
2. Joseph Hall, Treasury of David (Hendrickson Publishers) Vol 1, p155
3. Charles H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David (Hendrickson Publishers) Vol 1, p152