Expect Suffering: A Guide to Suffering Well.
A precise, text-driven exegetical commentary exploring the mechanics of biblical lament in Psalm 13. This academic guide traces the historical and theological weight of David's processing of prolonged pain, the hiding of the divine face, and the temptation to view death as an escape from exhaustion.
VS 1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
The Psalmist begins this Psalm by presenting to the audience his deep pain and anguish towards God. David is presenting his suffering to the Lord and wonders where he is during his suffering. The reader can assume that David’s suffering has endured for a length of time due to his questioning of God. It would not make sense to question the presence of God if his suffering was short-term. It is when the suffering lasts for a length of time that we question God the most.
In addition to David expressing the length and depth of his suffering, he expresses the feeling that God has turned His face from Him. The expression of God’s face is a common term throughout the Old Testament. To have God’s face toward you means that God’s favor is a blessing upon you. In the context of this passage, God’s favor has not been upon David. God has not abandoned David but rather God’s favor has not been active in David’s life, with no fault to David's sinning. To be abandoned is an awareness that God is there. For in order to be abandoned someone must be there to abandon you.
Vs 2How 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?
David uses the phrase “How long” four times in Psalm 13 to emphasize the length of time he’s suffered. David has become desperate and wonders how long he’ll be left to himself and how long God will allow his enemy to prevail over him.
Vs3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
The text shifts to David going to God in prayer to plea for deliverance. It is through David’s upfront honesty with God that he’s able to realize the truth of God. That God is actually there listening. David pleads with God to answer His prayer and he prays with urgency because he does not want to desire death. David does not want the pain of his suffering to lead him to death because it would seem easier to simply die than go on.
Vs4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
David continues to say that he does not desire to die as an escape from suffering because he knows this would mean giving victory to his enemies. His prayer is for God to turn his face toward him, to make the pain stop before he goes to death as an escape. David prays against his desire for death because he does not want the enemy to win. This further emphasizes the deep pain of David.
Vs5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
It is through David’s prayer that he’s able to go straight to God in praise. It is through David’s raw emotion and faithful prayer that he ends up catapulting himself into trusting God, which leads David to praise.
Vs6 I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
While there is no indication that David’s prayer was answered he still chose to glorify God and remember the abundant blessing God had given him. It is only when we truly trust God with our suffering that we are able to praise him in the midst of the pain.
Bibliography
Boice, James. Psalms 1-41. Vol. 1, Baker Books, 1994.
Brown, William P. Seeing the Psalms: a Theology of Metaphor. Westminster John Knox Press, 2002.
Elwell, Walter A. Baker Commentary on the Bible. Baker Books, 2008.
Goldingay, John. Psalms 1-41. Vol. 1, Baker Books, 2006.
Tate, Marvin, and Peter Craige. Psalm 1-50. 2nd ed., vol. 19, World Biblical Commentary , 2004.
