By Joshua Winslett
Psalm 13 “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.”
Over the past couple of weeks this has become one of my favorite Psalms. David writes of wrestling with the torturing thoughts of God leaving him alone with his sorrow. A sorrow that was not just a passing thought, a sorrow that daily renewed in his mind; a sorrow that ravaged him to the very core and depth of his soul. “How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?”
When the greatest problems surmount against us, they seem to come from every possible angle. Not only was David battling within himself, his enemies showed no compassion on his difficulty. They exalted over him with no care for his godly character or righteous countenance. “how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? “
David begs! He pleads! He feels as though he is at the point of death. Ah how life can prevail over us. His very reputation would be that he was a failure. They might say, “Is God’s blessings upon a man with so much trouble and suffering”? Even though David was a man after God’s own heart, people might view him as a dog or unbelieving heathen. “Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. “
What was David’s answer? Even in the strongest trials, David finds solace in the salvation of the Lord. It does not appear in this psalm that David would be taken from these dire conditions. Yet the prospect of an eternity with his God in righteous bliss caused his heart to cry out with joy. In this life we may have nothing but suffering, yet if by God’s grace we dwell with him in eternity; then God has certainly dealt bountifully to us. In view of God’s salvation, may all of our hearts rejoice. “But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.”
Originally published February 2011