Psalms 13:1

KJV

¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

KJV (with Strong's)

To the chief Musician {H5329}, A Psalm {H4210} of David {H1732}. How long wilt thou forget {H7911} me, O LORD {H3068}? for ever {H5331}? how long wilt thou hide {H5641} thy face {H6440} from me?

Complete Jewish Bible

For the leader. A psalm of David: How long, ADONAI? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

Berean Standard Bible

How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?

American Standard Version

How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou forget me for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 13:1 opens a profound and intensely personal lament from David, immediately plunging the reader into the depths of human despair and spiritual anguish. This verse articulates a desperate cry to God, questioning the perceived duration of divine forgetfulness and the painful experience of God's hidden face, setting the stage for a psalm that courageously moves from raw complaint to a renewed expression of trust and hope.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 13 is a classic example of a lament psalm, a genre that constitutes a significant portion of the Psalter. These psalms typically follow a distinct pattern: an initial complaint or cry of distress, followed by a petition for divine intervention, an expression of confidence in God's character, and often concluding with a vow of praise or renewed trust. The superscription, "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David," indicates its authorship and its intended use in communal worship, suggesting that even deeply personal anguish was brought before the congregation and set to music, providing a model for corporate and individual expression of faith amidst suffering. This opening verse immediately establishes the psalm's tone of desperate questioning, which will eventually give way to a declaration of God's steadfast love by the psalm's end, demonstrating the full trajectory of faith in crisis.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** While the specific historical occasion for David's distress is not explicitly stated in the superscription, the raw emotions expressed in Psalms 13:1 resonate with various periods of profound difficulty in David's life, such as his persecution by Saul ([1 Samuel 23:14](/1_samuel/23-14 "1 Samuel 23:14 - David in the Wilderness of Ziph")), the rebellion of Absalom ([2 Samuel 15:13-14](/2_samuel/15-13 "2 Samuel 15:13-14 - Absalom's Rebellion")), or other personal afflictions. In ancient Israelite thought, God's "face" (פָּנִים, _panim_) was intrinsically linked to His presence, favor, and blessing. To "hide His face" was understood as a withdrawal of divine favor or a sign of judgment, leading to profound spiritual and existential distress. This concept is deeply rooted in the covenant relationship, where God's presence guaranteed well-being, and His absence implied vulnerability and suffering. David's lament thus reflects a culturally understood theological crisis of perceived divine abandonment.
* **Key Themes:** Psalms 13:1 introduces several profound themes central to the Psalter and biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights a **profound feeling of abandonment and perceived divine absence**. David's repeated "How long?" underscores a desperate longing for God's intervention and a sense of being utterly forgotten, amplified by the rhetorical "for ever?" This theme of God's perceived withdrawal is powerfully articulated through the plea, "how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?", an idiom signifying a lack of divine favor or presence, leading to spiritual isolation. Secondly, the verse exemplifies **honest lament and questioning within faith**. It models a transparent relationship with God, where even the most agonizing doubts and desperate emotions are brought directly to the Creator. This radical honesty is a hallmark of the Psalms, providing a biblical precedent for expressing pain without fear of condemnation, as seen in other cries of distress like [Psalm 22:1](/psalms/22-1 "Psalm 22:1 - My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?"). Finally, it subtly introduces the theme of the **journey from despair to hope**. While the verse itself is steeped in anguish, its place at the beginning of a lament psalm anticipates the eventual shift towards renewed trust and praise, a common trajectory in these compositions, as the psalmist moves from complaint to confidence in God's steadfast love, a truth often affirmed throughout the book of [Psalms](/psalms/1 "Psalms 1 - The Book of Psalms").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **How long (עַד־אָנָה, _'ad-'anah_):** This interrogative adverb, repeated twice in the verse, conveys a profound sense of impatience, exasperation, and prolonged suffering. It is not merely a question seeking information but an impassioned cry expressing the psalmist's deep anguish and the perceived endlessness of his distress. It suggests a breaking point, a feeling that the suffering has stretched beyond endurance, demanding an immediate divine response.
* **forget (שָׁכַח, _shakach_):** The Hebrew verb means to forget, neglect, or cease to care for. For David, the terrifying thought that God, the covenant-keeping Yahweh, could "forget" him implies a complete withdrawal of divine attention, care, and covenant faithfulness. While God, by His nature, does not truly forget His people, David's use of this word vividly expresses his subjective experience of feeling utterly abandoned and overlooked by the very One who is his only hope.
* **hide thy face (סָתַר פָּנִים, _satar panim_):** This is a powerful and frequently used idiom in the Old Testament, signifying God's withdrawal of His presence, favor, or blessing. It represents a state of spiritual desolation and vulnerability, where the individual feels cut off from God's sustaining and protective presence. The opposite, God "making His face shine" ([Numbers 6:25](/numbers/6-25 "Numbers 6:25 - The Priestly Blessing")), denotes favor, blessing, and active presence. Thus, for God to hide His face is to experience the deepest form of spiritual distress, akin to being left alone in a hostile world.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD?"**: This opening clause is a direct, personal address to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. The repetition of "How long" emphasizes the psalmist's deep anguish and the perceived duration of his suffering. The question "wilt thou forget me" expresses a profound sense of abandonment and a fear that God has ceased to care for him, despite God's covenant promises of unfailing love and remembrance. It is a desperate plea from a heart that feels utterly alone and overlooked.
* **"for ever?"**: This rhetorical question amplifies the despair introduced by the initial "How long." It conveys a sense of utter hopelessness, suggesting that the perceived divine neglect is not just prolonged but potentially eternal. This expression of extreme anguish highlights the depth of David's spiritual crisis and his fear that his suffering will never end, pushing him to the brink of despair.
* **"how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?"**: This second, parallel question reiterates the core complaint, using a vivid biblical idiom. "Hiding God's face" signifies a withdrawal of divine presence, favor, or blessing, leading to a feeling of spiritual isolation and vulnerability. It is a cry for God to once again reveal His active presence, protection, and care, which David perceives as absent. This perceived absence is the source of his deepest suffering, as it implies a break in the intimate relationship he desires with God.

#### Literary Devices
Psalms 13:1 is rich in literary devices that amplify its emotional impact. The most prominent is **Rhetorical Question**, with the repeated "How long?" and the stark "for ever?". These are not questions seeking information but expressions of intense emotional distress, impatience, and despair, designed to convey the depth of the psalmist's suffering and his urgent plea for divine intervention. The verse also employs **Parallelism**, specifically synonymous parallelism, as the two main questions ("How long wilt thou forget me?" and "how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?") convey similar sentiments of perceived divine abandonment, reinforcing the core complaint. Furthermore, the phrase "hide thy face" is a powerful **Metaphor** and a form of **Anthropomorphism**, attributing human action (hiding one's face) to God to describe His perceived withdrawal of favor or presence. This vivid imagery makes the abstract concept of divine absence tangible and deeply personal, allowing the reader to grasp the psalmist's profound sense of spiritual isolation. The entire verse functions as a **Lament** or **Complaint**, a characteristic feature of this psalm genre, setting a tone of raw honesty and desperate appeal to God.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 13:1 serves as a profound theological statement about the nature of faith and prayer in the midst of suffering. It powerfully asserts that authentic faith does not preclude doubt, despair, or questioning God's timing and apparent inaction. Instead, it invites a radical honesty where the believer can bring their rawest emotions directly to God, trusting in His sovereignty and compassion even when His presence feels absent. This verse underscores the paradox of lament: the very act of crying out to a God who seems to have forgotten or hidden His face is, in itself, an act of faith, acknowledging His ultimate power to intervene and His unique position as the only source of true help. It validates the human experience of feeling abandoned while simultaneously affirming the enduring possibility of hope and renewed trust in God's steadfast love, which is ultimately revealed in His character and actions throughout salvation history.

* [Psalm 22:1](/psalms/22-1 "Psalm 22:1 - A Cry of Dereliction")
* [Psalm 44:24](/psalms/44-24 "Psalm 44:24 - Why Do You Hide Your Face?")
* [Lamentations 5:20](/lamentations/5-20 "Lamentations 5:20 - Why Do You Forget Us Forever?")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 13:1 offers immense comfort and profound permission for those navigating seasons of deep distress, perceived abandonment, or spiritual dryness. It validates the human experience of feeling forgotten or overlooked by God, assuring us that such feelings are not uncommon, even among devout believers like David. This verse teaches us that faith is not the absence of doubt or pain, but rather the courage to bring our rawest emotions, our deepest fears, and our most desperate questions directly to God. It models a relationship with the Divine that is utterly transparent, where no emotion is off-limits and no complaint is too bold for the Creator who invites us into intimate communion. The very act of crying out to God, even in perceived absence, is an act of profound faith, acknowledging His ultimate sovereignty and power to intervene. This lament serves as a powerful reminder that even in the darkest moments, the path to hope begins with honest communication with God, trusting that He is big enough to handle our laments and will, in His perfect timing, turn our mourning into dancing.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What specific emotions does David express in this verse that resonate with your own experiences of distress or perceived spiritual dryness?**
* **How does David's raw honesty in questioning God challenge or affirm your understanding of acceptable prayer during difficult seasons?**
* **In what ways might God's "hiding His face" (or our perception of it) actually be an invitation to seek Him more earnestly and deepen your reliance on His unseen presence?**

### FAQ
**Is it okay to question God, as David does here?**

Answer: Absolutely. Psalms 13:1, along with many other lament psalms, provides clear biblical precedent for believers to express their deepest pains, frustrations, and even questions directly to God. David's "How long?" is not born of unbelief but of profound anguish and a desperate longing for God's intervention. It demonstrates a robust faith that trusts God enough to be completely honest with Him. This transparency is a hallmark of a healthy relationship with the Creator, acknowledging that He is sovereign enough to handle our complaints and compassionate enough to listen. Other biblical figures like [Job](/job/7-11 "Job 7:11 - Job's Complaint to God") and [Habakkuk](/habakkuk/1-2 "Habakkuk 1:2 - Habakkuk's Lament") also model this kind of honest, questioning prayer, demonstrating that God welcomes our authentic selves, even in our moments of doubt and despair.

**What does "hide thy face" mean in this context?**

Answer: The phrase "hide thy face" (Hebrew: _satar panim_) is a powerful biblical idiom signifying a perceived withdrawal of God's favor, presence, or blessing. It implies a feeling of abandonment, divine neglect, or even judgment, leading to profound spiritual and emotional distress. It's the opposite of God "making His face shine upon you" ([Numbers 6:25](/numbers/6-25 "Numbers 6:25 - The Priestly Blessing")), which denotes His active presence, favor, and blessing. For David, feeling that God had hidden His face meant experiencing a deep sense of isolation and vulnerability, as if God had turned away from him and left him exposed to his enemies and suffering. It's a cry for God to once again reveal His active, benevolent presence and intervention.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 13:1, with its raw cry of perceived divine abandonment, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. David's lament, "How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?", foreshadows the ultimate spiritual desolation experienced by the Son of God on the cross. In that moment, as Jesus bore the full weight of humanity's sin, He cried out with a lament echoing [Psalm 22:1](/psalms/22-1 "Psalm 22:1 - My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?"): "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction on the Cross")). This was the ultimate "hiding of God's face" from His beloved Son, not due to Jesus' own sin, but because He became sin for us ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")), experiencing the full wrath and separation that our sin deserved. Through this unparalleled suffering, where the Father truly "hid His face" from the Son, Jesus perfectly identified with every human cry of abandonment, transforming the lament of the psalmist into a redemptive act. Because Christ endured the ultimate divine forsaking, believers can now be assured that God will never truly forget or forsake them ([Hebrews 13:5](/hebrews/13-5 "Hebrews 13:5 - God Will Never Leave You Nor Forsake You")). His experience of the hidden face guarantees that for those in Him, God's face will forever shine upon them, leading them from the depths of despair to the triumph of resurrection and eternal communion.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Job 13:24

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

Psalms 94:3

LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?

Psalms 94:4

[How long] shall they utter [and] speak hard things? [and] all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?

Psalms 89:46

How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?

Lamentations 5:20

Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, [and] forsake us so long time?

Psalms 80:4

O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?

Psalms 22:1

¶ To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [why art thou so] far from helping me, [and from] the words of my roaring?