 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. Meditation We are in a season of history with more questions than answers: How long will we practice social distancing to flatten the curve of COVID19? What is God doing in our world? How can I help those infected and those on the front lines in healthcare? What will be the extent of the impact? When will the NBA season resume?!? Only the Word of God gives us language for life in this broken world, moving us from honesty with life to hope in our sovereign God. The question, “How long?!” is repeated four times in six verses. Has God forgotten His people? Is He hiding His face? Is the enemy winning? The Psalmist’s bold approach in prayer to the Lord (3-4) is the vehicle moving the Psalmist from questions to certainty in God and His sovereignty. The final two verses demonstrate the Psalmist trusting in God’s steadfast love, rejoicing in salvation from his heart, and singing to the Lord for His blessing. (5-6) Psalm 13 is a ”lament,” what Chris Wright calls, “a voice of faith crying out in a time of unanswered questions and unmentionable suffering.” The prophet Habakkuk illustrates the right use of Psalm 13 as he begins his oracle with the Psalmist’s question, “How Long?!?” and concludes in singing of God’s salvation and sovereignty. (Habakkuk 3:17-19) During this season of questions we must allow Scripture to give us language for our lives, refocusing the eyes of our hearts on the person and promises of God. He is faithful to His promises! And when we are honest with our questions, faithfully engaging the Lord in prayer, then we will be moved to sing of His salvation and sovereignty. Will you join the chorus? Richly Dwelling -What are your major questions arising from our current circumstances? -How can you boldly take these questions to the Lord, demanding an answer as the Psalmist did in vs 4? -When you are honest with the Lord in prayer take note of how He graciously re-orients the eyes of your heart to focus on His faithfulness. The Lord is sovereign! You can trust His steadfast love! How can you join the chorus of His song of salvation during this season? Key Verse How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? Scripture and Song version with Callan Brown HERE Comments are closed.
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