Psalm 13: How long, O LORD? Praying through the Psalms

 Psalm 13: How long, O LORD?

“I’m at the end of my rope!”

“I’m running on empty.”

“I’m just done.”

Do any of those sound familiar? We all go through difficult times; many of us even face despair when we feel like we can’t go on. It feels as though the weight of the world is on our shoulders, and the burden is more than we can handle. Life can be tough, but as Christians, we have Someone we can lay it all on. Someone who carries us and always provides us with what we need.

David was obviously struggling when he wrote Psalm 13. The psalms include several laments he wrote, beseeching God to act on his behalf. He poured out his heart before God, even as he wrestled with impatience and possibly doubt. David felt alone and abandoned and sought the only One who could truly help and comfort him. Despite the way he felt, he knew God would never “forget” His people, but in his struggles, he needed God to help him feel the comfort of the gospel.

Sometimes in life, we too may struggle with loneliness or abandonment, or the enormity of evil all around us. We are at war. Ephesians 6:12 tells us, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Satan is real; he is evil, and he will use whatever means he can to destroy our faith and turn us away from God; he even uses our feelings of despair. He will attack us psychologically, spiritually, and even physically at times. The devil, the world, and even our own sinful nature will continuously attack us, and the truth is, we are so weak in and of ourselves that if God ever did abandon us, we would be lost and die in our sin. Though the devil will try to convince us otherwise, God will never abandon His children. We can be reassured and comforted by Romans 8:38-39, which says, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We, in ourselves, are too weak to handle our sorrow and troubles or to fight against the enemy, but that is exactly what makes our God so incredibly amazing. That is why we find comfort in the gospel! We can only see how great God's gifts to us truly are when we see how great our sin and misery truly are. If we don't see how undeserving and incapable we are, we won't see how amazing and great Jesus Christ's sacrifice is. The greater the debt, the higher the price of freedom. The price of our freedom is death; thank God for His undeserved love and sacrifice!

David set a good example for us by expressing his anxiety and sorrow to God. Through prayer, we can express all our feelings and struggles to God and trust that when we seek Him, we will find Him.

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places

 (Habakkuk 3:17-19).

God gives us the Holy Spirit, who helps us to regain peace, open our eyes to the right perspective, and lean on the only source of comfort, strength and salvation.

When the pressure of our problems feels overwhelming, we need to hold on to God, cling to faith, and hold fast to the promises we have been given in God’s word. Failing to trust God will lead to a life of misery and despair. Don’t give up on God, but rather,

Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might^. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil... Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

 (Ephesians 6:10-11, 13-18).

Pray. Pray at all times, in all circumstances, and ask God to fill you with the strength, courage and trust to keep going. He “will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). He has promised to strengthen and uphold us; “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

 

Praying through the Psalms:

O LORD, my God, I humbly come before You with a heavy heart. I long to see Your face, to feel the comfort of Your presence. I am weak, and You alone can give me strength. You, O God, are awesome and mighty. You see my sorrows and struggles, for You are omniscient. Hear me, O God, in Your gracious mercy and let not my enemies prevail over me. Fill me with the comfort of Your gospel and let Your light shine forth in my life. Preserve me in Your loving care, O LORD, and help me to trust in Your steadfast love. I praise You, gracious Father, for You have dealt bountifully with me. In Your mercy You sent Your Son to die in my place and in Your grace, You sent the Holy Spirit to fill me with the desire to live for You. So often I fall short of Your will and expectations; without You, O God, I would be lost in my sin. Forgive me for my many sins and renew a right Spirit within me; in Jesus’ name alone I ask all this. Amen 

Psalm 13: How Long, O Lord?

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

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

2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

 

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,

4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

 

5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

6 I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.