Hello everyone!
It certainly has been a little bit since our last post, especially our last post on Psalms. Today we’re going to continue our journey through some of the most relevant Psalms that have to do with surviving abuse. We’re looking today at Psalm 13 and with many of the previous Psalms, it begins very sad.
1How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? 3Consider and hear me, O LORD my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. 6I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Something that is incredibly interesting, is the fact that these Psalms begin with conflict and tension. In the stories we are used to seeing today, they begin nice, then comes the conflict and tension, and then resolution. With these Psalms, the conflict is already there, the tension has already been built. The reality is, that’s what we have when we enter this world. We have not been born in a perfect world. Sin and despair exist. The conflict between good and evil exists. Our stories may not begin nicely. If they do, you’re likely reading this because you’ve encountered conflict and tension.
It’s in a way, comforting to see the psalmist in the midst of such despair, asking God how long He will forget him. The psalmist tries his own methods or “counsels,” but none of them help him. Instead, his enemy continues to have the power and seems to be triumphing.
Yet, in the midst of all this, the psalmist says, “but I have trusted in your mercy.” Despite feeling alone and lost, and overcome, he continues to trust in God. Even more powerful is the last sentence. We have just heard all the ways that it seems God has abandoned him, hid His face from him, ignored him, and despite all of this, he writes, “God has dealt bountifully with me.”
Such a powerful statement. It is one of trust and acknowledging the goodness of God, even when it does not seem like God has been good. The psalmist still says, “He has dealt bountifully with me.”
We can come to that point. Our prayer needs to be, “enlighten my eyes.” Though we may have faced adversity, though it seems that enemies have triumphed over us, God will never allow us to be completely overcome. Jesus promises this in John 16:33:
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
My heart burns at this promise! In Jesus we find peace. In Jesus we find cheer. Because He has overcome the world. Because He has dealt bountifully with us. Continue trusting in that promise. Continue trusting in Jesus. In the end we will reap a bountiful reward.