Psalm 13:
"The distance between four occurrences of “How long”, punctuated with question marks (verses 1-2), and the confident and joyful song at the end (verse 6), is covered only with prayer (verses 3-4), and trust (verse 5).
How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? vs.1
Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. vs.4
But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. vs.5
How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
having sorrow in my heart daily?
how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
vs.2
"The distance between four occurrences of “How long”, punctuated with question marks (verses 1-2), and the confident and joyful song at the end (verse 6), is covered only with prayer (verses 3-4), and trust (verse 5).
Sooner or later, most of God’s people feel as if He has forgotten them. ....David clearly felt that God had intentionally forsaken him, an emotion Jesus echoed (Matt. 27:46).
Psalm 13 launches with an explosion of 4 “How longs”, indicating another lament is about to begin. But David will shift radically from turmoil to tranquility in the space of 6 short verses through 3 levels of attitude.
(1) Below “Sea Level” Expressions of Despair (13:1-2);
(2) “Sea Level” Expressions of Desires (13:3-4);
(3) “Mountaintop Level” Expressions of Delight (13:5-6).
Verses 1-2: These lines reintroduce the familiar triangle of the psalmist, his God, and his enemies. This 3-way relationship produces perplexity and pain."
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Consider and hear me, O LORD my God:
lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
vs.3