“How long, O Lord? Will You forget me?” (Psalm 13:1)
April 15, 2021
Prophet David uttered these words, in his long lasting tiredness and while becoming troubled due to its extent. So, he cried out to the Lord saying: “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?” (Psalm 13:1-6)
King Saul was then chasing Prophet David out of fear of losing his kingdom over him. The King trailed him from one wilderness to another, from a cave to cave, from one place to the other aiming to kill him; Prophet David then had to pray seeking God’s abet.
Prophet David asking “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me?” was answered since the Lord haven’t forgotten him. God has His own time and reason of doing things and it is His ways of showing us to be patient. Prophet David spiritually yielded and humbled even after killing the bear and the lion when God ordeal him with the tribulations by King Saul. The tribulations that contrived him did not only make humble but also though, guiding him to a prayer.
Prophet David then asks “How long will my enemy be exalted over me?” Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him.” He will never prevail on me as long as I am at your sanctuary right hand. Yet I will glorify you saying: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the Lord.” Then I will never say “How long will my enemy be exalted over me?!” but rather say: “I will praise You, For You have answered me, And have become my salvation.” (Psalm 118:15-17)
Enemies surrounded David though he was not afraid of them trusting in God, who will not give him up to their triumph. After his mind was bound in his own counsels and his heart in his pain, he seek God, putting his worries on in His will, for God shall take him out of his sorrows and answers his prayer.
Leaving those enemies aside He pleads: “Consider and hear me, O Lord my God. It is his reply to what he said before: “How long will You hide Your face from me.” And the phrase “hear me” is a reply to what he said before “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1)
Prophet David’s Psalm is said in spiritual tribulations while the believer feels that the Lord has forsaken him in his spiritual life and the enemy had triumph over me. When thoughts and ugly lusts have triumph over him, and he falls and do not know how to rise and “the evil he wills not to do, that he practices” and “sees another law in his members, warring against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to the law of sin which is in his members.” (Romanians 7:19, 23)
Antagonized, the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, just as written, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” At that time he says: “Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death; Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him.” (1 Peter 5:8)
The Psalm gives hope in God in every hardship in life. It a prayer imprinted by Prophets David for the strength of our spirituality. We shall all prayer in everyday life for our salvation and eternity. How-ever much struggle we bare and obstacles we face, God has a way to save us if we, if are faithful in Him. Our prayer will keep us live in faith and diligently. We shall pray to God saying, “Consider and hear me…” for He shall hear our prayer and respond to our spiritual needs. Then, as Prophet David praised Him saying, “Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation”… Here he looks to his current circumstances in a practically realistic way, seeing that: half of the truth is that some are causing his troublesome and rejoicing for his falling and the other half of it is that he trusted in God’s mercy that He will save him…” we will sing to His glory praising Him. (Psalm 124:6)