Latest / Reformed Thinking / How Long, O LORD? (Psalm 13) | Matthew Poole

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How Long, O LORD? (Psalm 13) | Matthew Poole · Reformed Thinking

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Hello and welcome to the Deep Dive.
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This is the show where we take a whole stack of sources, could be
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articles, research, maybe even our own notes, and we try to
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pull out the really valuable bits of knowledge and insight
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just for you. Yeah, think of it as a way to
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get quickly up to speed, maybe find some surprising facts and
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hopefully have a bit of interest along the way.
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Exactly. Today we're doing a deep dive
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into, well, one of the most personal and honestly raw
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expressions of faith you find in the Bible, Psalm 13.
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It's really quite striking, shows David dealing with some
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serious distress, but somehow he's also holding on to this
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steady confidence in God. So our mission today is
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basically to unpack this Psalm, see what lessons are there for
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us, and especially look at how David managed to move from that
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place of anguish to one of, well, assurance.
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Precisely. And we've gathered insights
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from, you know, range of commentaries.
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Matthew Poole's work is in there, which is quite
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comprehensive. It helps give us a pretty rich
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view of this Psalm. You'll see how David talks about
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God seeming absent, his own suffering, the fact his enemies
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are winning, but all the while he's grounding his hope in who
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God is and what he's promised. We really want to present this
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clearly, not just what David said, but why it actually
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matters for anyone facing similar kinds of trials even
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today. Setting the scene, David's
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distress and the Psalms occasion OK.
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Let's unpack this then to start us off.
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What was the actual situation? What brought this Psalm about?
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Our sources mentioned it was written during deep and long
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continued distresses for David. What exactly was going on?
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What prompted this this real outpouring?
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Well, the sources are pretty clear that this wasn't just a
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bad day for David. Not a fleeting moment of
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sadness, right? The Psalm really comes out of
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what's described as deep and long continued distresses.
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So you have to picture David going through this sustained
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period of really intense suffering, a time when his
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troubles just dragged on and on. Seemed like there was no end
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insight. That sounds exhausting it.
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Really does imagine that psychological, that spiritual
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toll of a trial that just won't let up day after day.
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That relentless pressure, that's really key to understanding his
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cry here. OK, so it's prolonged.
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What else? Well, a big factor was God's
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perceived delay. David felt like God was just
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slow to act for him, like divine help was being with help.
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And that feeling, that perception of God's slowness, it
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just made his distress worse, left him feeling really
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vulnerable, exposed. It wasn't like he was
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questioning God's existence, but God's action right now in his
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situation. OK, so God feels distant or
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slow. Yeah, and then the other crucial
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part was the success of his enemies.
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His adversaries were clearly getting the upper hand, and
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their victory was a direct source of his pain, his
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affliction. And it wasn't just about his
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personal discomfort either. It was the public display of his
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enemies winning which seemed to mock both him and, as we'll get
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into God, himself. Wow, so it's this combination
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suffering that doesn't end, God feeling absent or inactive and
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his enemies triumphing over him. Exactly.
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That combination created the sort of fertile ground for this
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incredibly honest expression of faith we see in Psalm 13.
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It really sounds like David was at his wit end.
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He's fighting on multiple fronts inside his own head spiritually
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and then externally against these enemies.
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So, thinking about the players in this little drama, who are
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the cast of characters in this Psalm?
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What roles do they play in this story of distress and eventually
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hope? That's a good way to put it.
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The cast really does illustrate David's state and how he saw the
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world. First, obviously, there's David
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himself. He's the central figure.
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The Psalm paints him as deeply distressed, wrestling with
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mental confusion, you know, perplexity.
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He talks about sorrow in his heart daily.
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That points to this constant emotional weight on him.
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Day in, day out. Yeah, and he's under pressure
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from these unnamed enemies who are exalted over him.
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That means they're basically in a position of dominance, seeing
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while he's suffering. OK, but he still has faith.
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Critically, yes, even in this state, he shows this really
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solid faith. He consistently trusts God's
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mercy. He looks forward to deliverance.
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And a key part of his perspective, something Matthew
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Poole really highlights, is his conviction that his own
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suffering and his enemy's success, well, it could reflect
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poorly on God's honor. So it's bigger than just him.
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Much bigger. He's not solely concerned for
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himself. He sees his situation through
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the lens of God's public reputation.
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He knows that as God's anointed king, his struggles will be
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interpreted by others as God failing to protect his own.
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And David just couldn't bear that perceived dishonor to God's
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name. That has a whole different
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layer. His concern goes beyond his own
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well-being, right to God's standing in the world.
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And then of course, there's God himself.
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How does David talk about God or address him here?
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Right. Then there's God the Lord, as
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David calls him directly. David perceives God as having,
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quote, forgotten him or hidden his face.
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Strong words, very strong. It suggests a withdrawal of
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favor, of assistance, this feeling of absence of distance
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from God. It's central to David's initial
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lament. It's bold, it's raw, maybe even
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sounds like an accusation, but it's important to remember it's
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directed at God within their relationship.
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It's not a denial of God. He's crying out to the one he
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knows can actually hear him. So he's complaining to God, not
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just about God. Exactly.
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God is positioned as the one David appeals to.
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He calls him, Oh Lord my God. He asks him to consider, hear,
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enlighten, revive, comfort, deliver.
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God is clearly presented as the ultimate source of mercy of
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salvation. And his honor is involved.
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Definitely. As we touched on, God's honor in
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David's mind is absolutely at stake in this personal struggle.
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David believed God is capable, God is faithful.
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So his current distress combined with his enemies winning it
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presents this, this problem, this conundrum that only God can
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fix in a way that protects his own good name.
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OK. And the enemies, you said
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they're unnamed. What else do we know about them
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from the Psalm? Right.
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Finally, there are David's enemies, these unnamed
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antagonists who are exalted over him.
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They're triumphant. They're oppressing him.
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They are the direct cause of his trouble, the agents inflicting
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his suffering. And David fears they're boasting
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Yes. He expresses this real concern
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that their triumph would signify their arrogance and blasphemy
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against God. He's worried their boastful
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victory wouldn't just hurt him, but would ultimately dishonor
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God. They're portrayed not just as
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his personal foes, but as instruments whose perceived
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victory could actually strike a blow against God's own
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character, God's reputation. So this setup David distressed
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but faithful, God seemingly distant but the one appealed to
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and the enemies active and seen as blasphemous.
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It really sets the stage for the emotional journey in the Psalm.
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It really does, and it allows us, you know, the listener, to
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connect David's ancient struggles to maybe our own
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battles today. It's quite something, how
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relevant this all feels, isn't it?
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For anyone navigating tough times, it's more than just
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history. It's like a window into the
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human spirit wrestling with faith when things get hard.
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David's directness with God here, that's something many of
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us could probably learn from. It shows even our deepest,
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hardest questions can be brought right to him.
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Perfect of David's anguish, the depth of his complaints.
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So David kicks off Psalm 13 with these incredibly direct, almost
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brutally honest questions to God.
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He really doesn't hold back. He asks, how long will thou
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forget me, O Lord? Forever.
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How long will thou hide thy face from me?
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What do these questions tell us about what's going on inside him
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and his view of God at that moment?
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Well, those opening questions, they just lay bare this raw
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distress of her God appearing to withdraw His favor, His help.
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When he asks, How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, forever.
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He's putting words to this feeling of being neglected,
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disregarded. It's a direct plea, sure, but
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it's also a pretty stark accusation aimed at God for
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seeming inactive. It feels quite bold.
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It is bold, this perceived absence, this delay from God.
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That's the core complaint driving his anguish.
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It's the pain of feeling abandoned, sensing that the very
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source of his hope has turned away.
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And Matthew Poole points out, David's wrestling with the
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duration, not just how long, but forever, that shows the crushing
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weight of endless suffering he feels.
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But he's laying that vulnerability right before God.
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It shows a relationship where these honest, maybe even
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confrontational complaints aren't just allowed.
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They're part of faithful interaction.
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So he's not just sad, he's actively trying to figure things
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out in his own head. But it sounds like he's getting
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nowhere. He goes on, How long shall I
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take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily.
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What does that specific line tell us about his mental, his
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emotional struggle? Oh, that line gives us such a
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clear window into his mental anguish, his confusion.
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He feels totally uncertain about how to get out of his troubles.
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That phrase take counsel in my soul.
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It suggests he's constantly turning things over in his own
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mind, endlessly deliberating, thinking through every possible
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solution, but just coming up empty.
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Like being stuck in a loop. Exactly.
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It paints this picture of intense internal turmoil, a mind
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that just cannot find rest or any resolution.
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He's described in the commentaries as being in
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perplexities and anxieties of mind, not knowing what course to
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take. And the sorrow in my heart daily
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bit emphasizes how relentless this is.
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It's not just a fleeting confusion, it's a persistent day
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after day burden on his thoughts, his emotions.
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He's just intellectually and emotionally worn out from trying
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to solve problems he feels totally incapable of fixing
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himself. It's the very picture of feeling
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lost in your own thoughts. And then, as if that internal
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battle wasn't enough, he looks outward at his adversaries and
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asks, How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
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That seems to add another whole layer of pain, maybe even shame,
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to it all. Absolutely.
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It adds that critical external dimension to his suffering.
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Dave is concerned here. It goes beyond just his personal
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pain right to what his enemy success implies about God.
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Right. You mentioned that earlier.
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Yeah, this question shows his fear that his adversaries
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continued victory won't just harm him personally, but will
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also reflect badly on God himself.
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It suggests, as some commentators put it, a fear that
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Graham might appear unfaithful and unmindful of thy promises or
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unable to make them good. So he's worried about God's
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reputation. Deeply, David understands that
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if his enemies keep winning, they're boasting could be seen
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by everyone as a sign of God's weakness or his inability to
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protect his own chosen king, his covenant people.
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This adds a serious theological weight to his personal
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suffering. His pain is tangled up with this
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perceived dishonor to God's name, and that concern is very
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much in line with a Reformed view of God's ultimate glory and
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sovereignty. He's worried not just for
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himself, but for the wider implications for God's
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reputation. So putting it all together.
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In essence, yeah. David's distress is coming from
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the sheer length of his suffering, its harsh effects on
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his mind, his well-being. He even fears death and the
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unchecked arrogance of his enemies.
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He's implicitly pleading, almost demanding, immediate divine
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action to end this perceived delay.
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And he's doing it partly by arguing that his situation
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impacts not just him, but the very honor of God himself.
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He's kind of arguing with God for God's own sake, in a way. 3
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David's urgent plea for intervention.
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OK, so from this deep lament David then shifts, doesn't he?
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He moves to a direct appeal. He prays.
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Consider and hear me, O Lord my God, lighten mine eyes, lest I
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sleep the sleep of death. That phrase lighten mine eyes.
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It sounds quite poetic, rich with meaning.
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Can we dig into that a bit? Oh, it's a really evocative
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phrase, yes, and the sources help us see it from a couple of
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angles. Lighten Mine Eyes isn't just a
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simple request. It seems to have both a
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spiritual and a physical dimension.
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It reflects David's really comprehensive need for God to
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step. In OK spiritual first.
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Right. On one hand, it's clearly a plea
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for spiritual and mental enlightenment.
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Remember, he just said his own counsel wasn't working.
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He was taking counsel in his soul but getting nowhere.
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So now he God to enlighten my mind and guide me by Thy counsel
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and spirit into the right way of obtaining Thy mercy and help.
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It shows his need for divine wisdom, for direction, because
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he feels lost in these perplexities and anxieties of
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mine, not knowing what course to take.
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He needs clarity in his confusion, God's perspective, to
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cut through the mental fog. Like asking.
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For insight exactly. And commentaries point out
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similar language elsewhere, like Psalm 19.8, which talks about
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God's commands, enlightening the eyes meaning, giving spiritual
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insight, understanding. So he's definitely seeking God's
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guiding light in his inner turmoil.
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OK, so. Wisdom.
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Clarity. What's the other side?
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Well, there's. Also this second equally vital
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dimension. It's a prayer for revival, for
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deliverance from impending death.
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Physical. Then physical.
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And perhaps spiritual death or total despair too.
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The phrase also means God should revive and comfort and deliver
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me from the darkness of death. David expresses this genuine
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fear that he's going to sink under my burden and die.
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He feels so overwhelmed he's literally on the brink of
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collapsing under it all and the. Sleep of Death part Yeah, the.
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Sources consistently point out that death is often called a
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sleep in scripture. They cite examples from Job,
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other psalms, even John 11 where Jesus calls Lazarus his death.
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Sleep Right, I remember. That it doesn't.
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Diminish the sorrow, but it frames death within this bigger
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divine story of promise of future awakening.
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Like resurrection, it softens the terror a bit by comparing it
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to a temporary rest. Interesting.
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And the light, darkness, contrast, that's key.
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To dangers, calamities, despair, these are often expressed as
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darkness in the Bible, whereas comfort, deliverance, hope,
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life, divine favor, those are expressed as light or this
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enlightening of the eyes. You see this across scripture,
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Job, Proverbs. So David is asking God to shine
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light right into his deepest darkness, to literally pull him
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back from the shadow of death, to give him new life, new
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vitality. So putting it.
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Together, this phrase, lighten mine eyes, captures his urgent
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need for God's direct intervention.
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He needs guidance out of his mental mess and rescue from the
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physical and spiritual darkness closing in on him, stopping him
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from totally giving into death or despair.
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Precisely. And for you?
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The listener. This really gives a practical
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model, doesn't it? How to voice your deepest needs
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when you feel overwhelmed, acknowledging both mental
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struggle and the fear of just falling apart.
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It's a really honest whole person.
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Appeal to God for God's honor at stake.
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Now, David's concern, as you've mentioned, isn't just about his
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own suffering. He specifically says, lest my
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enemies say I have prevailed against him and those that
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struggle me rejoice when I have moved.
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Why is the victory of his enemies such a big deal for
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David, beyond just his own discomfort or defeat?
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Yeah. That's a crucial point, and it
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takes us right back to the theological heart of his
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complaint about the enemies. It all centers on the dishonor.
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It would reflect upon God. OK.
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And this raises that key question again.
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Why does David tie his personal situation so tightly to God's
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character? Well, David fears his enemies
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will claim victory by my art or strength, meaning they'd
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attribute their success against him to their own power, their
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own cleverness, rather than seeing it as something God
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allowed or or orchestrated. And in David's view, this
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boasting would be interpreted by everyone watching as proof that
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God was either unfaithful and unmindful of thy promises or
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unable to make them good. That's a huge theological worry
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for David. He sees his role as God's chosen
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leader, so any defeat he suffers isn't just personal, it's a
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potential stain on God's reputation in the eyes of the
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world. He sees they're.
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Boasting us more than just bragging.
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Oh, absolutely. He sees their potential triumph
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as an act of arrogance and blasphemy against God.
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Their celebration wouldn't just mock David.
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In his eyes, it'd be a direct insult to God himself.
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They'd be celebrating what they perceive as God's failure to
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protect his own servant. And for David, that's just
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unacceptable. So God's.
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Honor is really paramount for him here.
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It really is. David is implicitly asking God
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to repress this, their arrogance and blasphemy, and maintain my
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own honor. This shows just how strongly
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David believed his relationship with God was public, and that
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God's faithfulness was demonstrated through protecting
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and delivering his people. He's not just asking for
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personal rescue, He's asking God to vindicate his own name, to
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show His sovereign rule. And the bit about when I am
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moved, what does that mean? That phrase.
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When I am moved signifies when he might stumble or fall into
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mischief. It suggests a significant set
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back, a point of vulnerability or failure.
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This stumbling or falling isn't just about tripping over
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something. It's likely about a moral slip,
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a spiritual lapse, or a major defeat that would give his
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enemies real cause to rejoice and seemingly validate their
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claims that God wasn't actually with him So.
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David understands that God's own integrity, His power, his
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faithfulness are all on display through the lives of his
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servants like himself. His plea for help isn't purely
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self-centered at all. It's ultimately aimed at seeing
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God glorified in His name, upheld.
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Exactly. It's a remarkable example of how
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a truly God centered faith shapes even our prayers when
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we're in deep distress. V David's steadfast confidence
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and anticipation of joy. OK, so.
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Despite all this really raw, honest complaining we just
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talked about, David makes his dramatic turn in the Psalm.
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Suddenly, he declares, But I have trusted in thy mercy.
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My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
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That's a pretty striking shift, isn't it?
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From anguish to what sounds like total certainty.
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What does that tell us about his underlying trust, even while his
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circumstances haven't actually changed?
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Yet it is. Truly remarkable that turn, that
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declaration, but I've trusted in thy mercy.
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It's this clear, decisive affirmation of his reliance on
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God's character. The sources explain it like
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this. Neither their threats and brags
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nor my own dangers shall shake my confidence in Thy mercy
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promised to me. That really highlights a firm,
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resilient trust that holds on despite all the external
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pressure, despite his own personal dangers.
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It's grounded completely in God's character, His mercy and
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His sure promises. It's a deep conviction that
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God's goodness will win out regardless of how challenging
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things look right now. So His.
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Faith isn't based on his feelings or circumstances, Not
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at all. It's based on the unchanging
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nature of God's benevolent character and the reliability of
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His word. It's like he's making a
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conscious choice to anchor his soul and what he knows is true
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about God, even when his feelings might be screaming the
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opposite. OK.
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And that? Leads to joy, right?
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That confidence then leads directly to anticipating joy.
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When he says, My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation, it
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shows the settled belief that God's saving action will
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ultimately happen. It's not just wishful thinking.
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It's an expectation that comes from his assurance in God's
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character and faithfulness. He knows salvation is coming,
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and his heart is already getting ready to celebrate, even while
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he's. Still suffering?
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Exactly. That kind of joy anticipated
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even in the midst of distress, It speaks to this incredibly
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strong inner stability that's rooted in his faith, a deep
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seated assurance that God will in fact deliver.
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He effectively moves from questioning God's timing to
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celebrating God's certain action.
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And this. Confidence then leads him to
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promise future worship. He says he will sing unto the
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Lord. What makes him so certain about
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this future praise? He's still in the thick of it.
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The deliverance hasn't fully arrived yet.
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It almost seems counterintuitive.
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It's a. Fascinating question, isn't it?
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How can he be ready to sing before the rescue?
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Well, the answer seems to lie in his absolute assurance that God
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had dealt bountifully with me. The sources explained that David
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and other prophets too often speak about future deliverances
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as if they've already happened, like it's a.
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Done deal precisely. It's a way of speaking that
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signifies both the infallible certainty of the thing and their
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firm assurance thereof. It's not just hoping.
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It's a settled conviction based on God's very nature and His
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covenant promises. He knows God's deliverance isn't
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just a possibility. It's a certainty that will
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happen because God is true to His Word.
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Is there? Anything else grounding that
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certainty? Yes, the.
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Commentators also suggest his trust is grounded in the support
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and assurance of his favor, which for the present, I enjoy.
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This implies that David is drawing on his current, maybe
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subtle, experiences of God's grace to fuel his hope and
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trust, even while he's still distressed.
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So he. Sees God working even now it
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seems. So he isn't necessarily waiting
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for some grand visible rescue to believe God is with him.
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He recognizes and leans on the present, perhaps unseen, ways
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God is sustaining him, giving him the strength just to endure,
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maybe giving him inner peace, or even just the ability to keep
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crying out to God. All of that he attributes to
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God's current favor, and this present assurance fuels his
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certainty about the future and his confident promise to sing.
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He understands God is already providing for him, even if the
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full deliverance hasn't materialized yet.
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So his praise is looking back at what God's already doing and
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looking forward to what God absolutely will do.
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So that shift from lament to trust, it's not just flipping a
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switch. It's a dynamic thing rooted in
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his experience of God's present help and his solid expectation
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of God's character. Exactly.
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It's a powerful reminder that faith isn't the absence of
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questions or struggles, it's that confident reliance on God
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right in the middle of it all. It's an act of faith, choosing
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to believe in God's character despite circumstances that seem
21:24
to argue against it. 6 The meaning of God's bountiful
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dealing, David wraps. Up the Psalm by stating he will
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sing unto the Lord because he have dealt mountifully with me.
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That phrase dealt bountifully. It sounds quite significant.
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Can we unpack that a little more, especially given the
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timing? He's saying this before the full
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resolution. Absolutely.
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It's a rich phrase, and the sources generally offer two main
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ways to understand He have dealt bountifully with me.
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Both really highlight God's generous nature.
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OK, what's the 1st? 11.
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View is that it refers back to what we just discussed, the
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support and assurance of his favor, which for the present I
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enjoy. The current help, right?
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It points to that present experience of God's grace that's
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sustaining David even in his trials.
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It's about the daily, maybe moment by moment, sustenance and
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comfort God is providing even while the big struggle is still
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going on. David's acknowledging God is
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already showing him favor, already supporting him, and this
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present reality is what fuels his certainty for the future.
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It's appreciating God's ongoing act of goodness right now.
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That makes sense. And the second interpretation?
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The second. Interpretation focuses more on
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the future, but with absolute certainty.
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It suggests dealt bountifully, refers to that mercy which He
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has freely promised me. Here the future deliverance is
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spoken of in the past tense. Hath dealt because of its
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infallible certainty and David's firm assurance thereof.
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So it's about. The reliability of God's
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promises. Exactly.
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This perspective really underscores God's faithfulness
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to his covenant promises. David is so sure of God's future
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action, his deliverance, that he speaks of it as if it's already
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completed. It's that prophetic way of
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expressing absolute certainty in God's Word.
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He knows God cannot lie. His promises are secure.
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So whether it's present support or future certainty, both.
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Interpretations ultimately point to God's generosity and his
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reliability as the sorts of all blessing and deliverance.
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Now what? About the actual root meaning of
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bountifully, I think the commentary noted it can mean to
23:27
requite or reward. How does that fit here,
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especially with this idea of God's unmerited favor?
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Yeah, that. Brings up a really critical
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point about how we understand God's dealings with us.
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The commentary is careful to clarify that while the Hebrew
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verb can sometimes mean a reward or requital, here, in this
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context it clearly indicates a free and bountiful giving.
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So not. Earned definitely.
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Not earned. That distinction is vital.
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It highlights God's unmerited favor, His generous grace,
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rather than some kind of debt based transaction where
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blessings are earned. If it were a reward based on
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David's merit, it would imply, you know, oh, you do this, I'll
24:04
do that kind of exchange, right? But the emphasis here is
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squarely on God's nature as a benevolent giver, one who
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bestows blessings freely, generously, not because we
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deserve them or have earned them through our efforts, but simply
24:18
out of his good pleasure and his inherently gracious character.
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And that fits. With reformed thinking very
24:24
much. So it aligns and it's perfectly
24:25
with the understanding that God's grace is unearned.
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That's central salvation. All blessings, they stem from
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God's sovereign, benevolent will, not from anything we've
24:34
done to deserve them. So, David?
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'S confidence, His praise. It's not based on what he's done
24:38
or earned. It's grounded purely in God's
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free giving and adapis, His totally reliable promises.
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It's a powerful declaration of relying on grace, not works.
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Isn't it a real affirmation of God's character?
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Absolutely. That's the foundation of his
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turn around outro. So what does all?
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This mean for you, our listener, as you navigate your own life,
24:58
this deep dive into Psalm 13, it really shows us this dynamic
25:02
relationship between suffering, faith, and God's action.
25:06
Dave's experience gives us this powerful picture of how someone
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can voice the deepest anguish, the hardest questions, yet at
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the same time hold on tightly to a steady trust in God's mercy.
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His distress, interestingly, instead of crushing his face,
25:20
seems to actually intensify his reliance on God.
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And it clarifies for him and for us this theological need for God
25:26
to act, to uphold his own honor. It really demonstrates that
25:30
honest complaint and firm trust, they can absolutely coexist in
25:33
genuine faith. And that brings up I.
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Think a really practical point for reflection.
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How does Psalm 13 work as a kind of model for our own prayers,
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especially in times of really deep distress?
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Think about how David brought together that raw lament with
25:45
this firm trust in God's faithfulness and his covenant
25:48
promises. He brought his complete,
25:50
unvarnished self to God, all his questions, his sorrow, his
25:53
fears. But he never ultimately
25:55
abandoned his hope in God. So what might that teach us
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about bringing our whole selves, our doubts, our sorrows, and our
26:02
hopes before God with without holding back, but always, always
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returning to his character and his promises?
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That's a great. Question to leave people with
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how might this? Dynamic, this honest complaint
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coupled with confident expectation.
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How might that shape your own conversation with God when you
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face those prolonged troubles? Could it help you find that same
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assurance David eventually landed on resting in God's
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generous hand? Thank you for.
26:26
Joining us on this deep dive, we really trust that this
26:28
discussion is giving you some valuable insights into what is
26:31
truly a profound and ultimately a very comforting Psalm.