I am going to try and unpack Psalm 13 and touch on how this impacted my life.
verse 1 - "How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?"
This is a complete absence of hope. The first line sets the mood, even without knowing the details of the author's situation. When I went through roughly 12 years of depression, this was a mantra I would repeat in an effort to stir my soul into a reaction.
verse 2a - "How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?"
Without the support of God, the Psalmist turns to himself and finds that wholly unfulfilling.
Waking up each morning knowing it will be the same as the day before. Empty; lifeless; devoid of meaning.
verse 2b - "how long shall my enemy be exalted over me?"
The Psalm is not dated reliably to any point in David's life. However, after being such an honoured king himself, David must have found himself in a hopeless situation alone.
verse 3 - "Consider me and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death"
This is a plea for help; a desperate plea. In the absence of hope, the sleep of death beckons. Not as a solution but as an end to the suffering of both the afflicted and to those suffering because of them. I can still remember when I realized that death was the only rational option. Thinking back it still chills me.
verse 4 - "lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved."
Even if David perishes, a further injustice is that his enemies would be able to gloat over his demise.
verse 5 - "But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart rejoices in thy salvation."
That "but" is a shift away from mortal problems and considers the only things that have eternal value. Mercy, and through that, Salvation and all that comes with it.
Even in moments without hope, we are assured of Mercy and Salvation. This transition definitely had an impact on me when I needed it. Not to be cured or suddenly happy, but that defiant "but" helped get through one more day...only to loop back to verse 2.
verse 6 - "I will sing unto the LORD because he has dealt bountifully with me."
The Psalmist's problems are put in perspective and he sings out to the LORD for his blessings.
I never felt blessed, but that doesn't mean that was true. Our God doesn't change depending on our awareness of His Blessings. God's Immutability means we can hold on to His Truths even when we don't feel them in this brief moment we call life.
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing that with us Cam. I particularly liked your quote "I never felt blessed, but that doesn't mean that was true." Our feelings are not an accurate barometer to the truth, and yet that's exactly what society would have us believe. Our source of truth can be nothing other than God's Word.
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