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Psalms 13

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The Cry of Abandonment 1–2

1
How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou forget me for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? ​
2
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? ​

The Plea for Divine Intervention 3–4

3
Considerand answer me, O Jehovah my God: Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; ​
4
Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; Lest mine adversaries rejoice when I am moved. ​

The Turn to Trust and Praise 5–6

5
But I have trusted in thy lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. ​
6
I will sing unto Jehovah, Because he hath dealt bountifully with me. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Psalms 13

Verse 1

How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? — 'How long' is asked four times in vv.1–2. 'Forget' is shakach, and 'hide thy face' uses sathar, as in Ps 89:46, 'wilt thou hide thyself for ever?', and Job 13:24. The petition of v.3 asks for the opposite, that the LORD's face shine (Num 6:25).

Verse 2

take counsel in my soul — The Hebrew is 'set counsels' (shith etsah): plans turned over in the nephesh, the soul, while 'sorrow' (yagon) sits 'in my heart' (levav) 'daily'. The second 'how long' turns outward: 'mine enemy' is 'exalted' (rum, lifted up) 'over me'.

Verse 3

lighten mine eyes — Or in the causative, 'make to shine', the verb of the priestly blessing, 'The LORD make his face shine upon thee' (Num 6:25). Jonathan's eyes 'were enlightened' after the honey (1 Sam 14:27), and Ezra uses the same phrase of reviving a remnant (Ezra 9:8). The danger named is 'the sleep of death' (mavet).

Verse 4

I have prevailed against him — The enemy's boast is yakol, 'I have been able', and the adversaries (tsar) 'rejoice' (gil) 'when I am moved' (mot, to slip or shake), the reverse of Ps 62:6, 'I shall not be moved'. The same verb gil returns in v.5: the enemies rejoice at his fall, but his heart rejoices in the LORD's salvation.

Verse 5

I have trusted in thy mercy — 'Trusted' is batach, to rest one's weight on something; 'mercy' is chesed, the LORD's covenant love, and 'salvation' is yeshuah, deliverance. The verb 'rejoice' (gil) is the one the enemies used in v.4. The tense is perfect, 'I have trusted': the trust is stated as already placed, before the answer comes.

Verse 6

dealt bountifully — Gamal is to deal with someone, here to render a benefit, and it is set in the perfect tense: the LORD has already done so. The verse answers the four 'how longs' with a vow to sing (shir). Ps 116:7 uses the same verb of the LORD's care: 'Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.'