Psalms · Chapter 13

Verse 1. How long wilt thou forget me] The words hna d[ ad anah, to what length, to what time, translated here how long? are four times repeated in the two first verses, and point out at once great dejection and extreme earnestness of soul.

Hide thy face from me?] How long shall I be destitute of a clear sense of thy approbation?

Verses 1, 2. How long wilt thou forget — That is, neglect or disregard; me, O Lord? for ever? — Shall it be during my whole life? How long wilt thou hide thy face? — Withdraw thy favour and assistance? How long shall I take counsel, &c. — How long shall I be in such perplexities and anxieties of mind, not knowing what course to take, nor how to get out of my troubles?

1. How long—Literally, Until when? A most natural outgushing of the heart under long continued sorrow and unrelieved oppression. Psalm 94:3; Zechariah 1:12; Revelation 6:10. Its occurrence four times in verses 1, 2, indicates the violence of the persecution, and the languishing strength of the sufferer. Forget me… for ever—The “forgetting,” and “hiding the face,” was in appearance only, not in reality. The language is not that of doubt or complaint, but of simple suffering coming from the human aspect of affairs, and speaking of things phenomenally, as we would say. The whole Bible is full of examples where, with the sincerest piety and faith, the sufferer gives forth the voice of nature.

V. 2. How long-Shall I be in such perplexities, not knowing what course to take?

Verse 2. Take counsel in my soul] I am continually framing ways and means of deliverance; but they all come to naught, because thou comest not to my deliverance. When a soul feels the burden and guilt of sin, it tries innumerable schemes of self-recovery; but they are all useless. None but God can speak peace to a guilty conscience.

Mine enemy be exalted] Satan appears to triumph while the soul lies under the curse of a broken law.

Verses 1, 2. How long wilt thou forget — That is, neglect or disregard; me, O Lord? for ever? — Shall it be during my whole life? How long wilt thou hide thy face? — Withdraw thy favour and assistance? How long shall I take counsel, &c. — How long shall I be in such perplexities and anxieties of mind, not knowing what course to take, nor how to get out of my troubles?

2. Take counsel in my soul—Literally, “put counsel in my soul.” How long shall this life of peril and anxiety compel me daily to new plans and new cares for my safety?

V. 3. Lighten-Revive and comfort, and deliver me from the darkness of death, which is ready to come upon me.

Verse 3. Consider and hear me] Rather, answer me. I have prayed; I am seeking thy face I am lost without thee; I am in darkness; my life draws nigh to destruction; if I die unforgiven, I die eternally. O Lord my God, consider this; hear and answer, for thy name’s sake.

Verses 3-5. Lighten mine eyes — Because I find my own counsels insufficient, do thou enlighten my mind, and guide me by thy counsel into the right way of obtaining thy merciful help. Or, he means, Do thou revive, and comfort, and deliver me from the darkness of death, which is ready to come upon me, and to close mine eyes. Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him — Namely, by my art or strength; which will reflect dishonour on thee, as if thou wert either unfaithful and unmindful of thy promises, or unable to fulfil them. Therefore prevent, or repress this their arrogance and blasphemy, and maintain thine own honour. I have trusted in thy mercy — Neither their threats and boastings, nor my own dangers, shall shake my confidence in thy mercy promised to me.

3. Consider… me—From dejection of mind David turns to prayer with a more softened and hopeful tone. “Consider;” that is, behold, look; give direct, immediate, attention. Lighten… eyes—His sorrow had dimmed the lustre of his eyes, which the divine joy and salvation alone could restore. On the figure, see 1 Samuel 14:27, 29. Sleep of death—Literally, lest I shall sleep the death. This language is the strongest that the Hebrew supplies to denote that without help from God death must soon end the dreadful conflict. See Jeremiah 51:39.

Verse 4. Let mine enemy say] Satan’s ordinary method in temptation is to excite strongly to sin, to blind the understanding and inflame the passions; and when he succeeds, he triumphs by insults and reproaches. None so ready then to tell the poor soul how deeply, disgracefully, and ungratefully it has sinned! Reader, take heed.

When I am moved.] When moved from my steadfastness and overcome by sin. O what desolation is made by the fall of a righteous soul! Itself covered with darkness and desolation, infidels filled with scoffing, the Church clad in mourning, the Spirit of God grieved, and Jesus crucified afresh, and put to an open shame! O God, save the pious reader from such wreck and ruin!

Verses 3-5. Lighten mine eyes — Because I find my own counsels insufficient, do thou enlighten my mind, and guide me by thy counsel into the right way of obtaining thy merciful help. Or, he means, Do thou revive, and comfort, and deliver me from the darkness of death, which is ready to come upon me, and to close mine eyes. Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him — Namely, by my art or strength; which will reflect dishonour on thee, as if thou wert either unfaithful and unmindful of thy promises, or unable to fulfil them. Therefore prevent, or repress this their arrogance and blasphemy, and maintain thine own honour. I have trusted in thy mercy — Neither their threats and boastings, nor my own dangers, shall shake my confidence in thy mercy promised to me.

4. Lest mine enemy say—Not only is his own life in danger, but a further reason for divine interference is the reproach that would otherwise fall upon the cause of God. The psalmist’s overthrow would be the triumph of unrighteousness.

Verse 5. But I have trusted in thy mercy] Thou wilt not suffer me to fall; or if I have fallen, wilt thou not, for his sake who died for sinners, once more lift up the light of thy countenance upon me? Wilt thou not cover my sin?

My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.] There is no true joy but of the heart; and the heart cannot rejoice till all guilt is taken away from the conscience.

Verses 3-5. Lighten mine eyes — Because I find my own counsels insufficient, do thou enlighten my mind, and guide me by thy counsel into the right way of obtaining thy merciful help. Or, he means, Do thou revive, and comfort, and deliver me from the darkness of death, which is ready to come upon me, and to close mine eyes. Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him — Namely, by my art or strength; which will reflect dishonour on thee, as if thou wert either unfaithful and unmindful of thy promises, or unable to fulfil them. Therefore prevent, or repress this their arrogance and blasphemy, and maintain thine own honour. I have trusted in thy mercy — Neither their threats and boastings, nor my own dangers, shall shake my confidence in thy mercy promised to me.

5. But I have trusted—The past tense indicates the habit of his life. Until now he has trusted, and he is suddenly strengthened in hope by the memory.

V. 6. I will sing-It is a common thing for David and other prophets to speak of future deliverances as if they were already come, that so they may signify both the infallible certainty of the thing, and their firm assurance thereof.

Verse 6. I will sing unto the Lord] That heart is turned to God’s praise which has a clear sense of God’s favour.

Because he hath dealt bountifully with me.] yl[ lmg yk ki gamel alai, because he hath recompensed me. My sorrows were deep, long continued, and oppressive, but in thy favour is life. A moment of this spiritual joy is worth a year of sorrow! O, to what blessedness has this godly sorrow led! He has given me the oil of joy for the spirit of heaviness, and the garments of praise for mourning.

The old MS. Psalter, which I have so frequently mentioned and quoted, was written at least four hundred years ago, and written probably in Scotland, as it is in the Scottish dialect. That the writer was not merely a commentator, but a truly religious man, who was well acquainted with the travail of the soul, and that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ which brings peace to the troubled heart, is manifested from various portions of his comment. To prove this I shall, I think I may say, favour the reader with another extract from this Psalm on the words, “How long wilt thou forget me,” &c., Psalm 13:1. I have only to observe that with this commentator a true penitent, one who is deeply in earnest for his salvation, is called a perfyte man; i.e., one wholly given up to God. How lang lord for getes thu me in the endyng? How lang o way turnes thou thi face fro me? The voice of haly men that covaytes and yernes the comyng of Iehu Crist, that thai might lyf with hym in ioy; and pleynaund tham of delaying. And sais, Lord how lang for getes thu me in the endyng? That I covayte to haf and hald. That es how lang delayes thu me fra the syght of Iehu Crist, that es ryght endyng of myn entent. And how lang turnes thu thi face fra me? that es, qwen wil thu gif me perfyte Knawing of the? This wordes may nane say sothly, bot a perfyte man or woman, that has gedyrd to gydir al the desyres of thair Saule, and with the nayle of luf fested tham in Iehu Crist. Sa tham thynk one hour of the day war our lang to dwel fra hym; for tham langes ay til hym; bot tha that lufs noght so, has no langyng that he come: for thair conscience sais thaim, that thai haf noght lufed hym als that suld have done.

The language of true Christian experience has been the same in all times and nations. “But he that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love;” and to such this is strange language.

Verse 6. He hath dealt bountifully with me — Either, 1st, In giving me that support and assurance of his favour which I enjoy at the present; or 2d, In giving me gracious promises of the deliverance and help which I expect; it being a common thing for David and other prophets to speak of future deliverances as if they were really come, that so they might signify both the infallible certainty of the thing and their firm assurance thereof.

6. I will sing—Faith rises to the point of victory, and joy ends the bitter outcry of verses 1 and 2. Luther: “While Satan rages and roars about him, he meanwhile sings quietly his little psalm.”