Psalm 13: How Long?

Intro:

Review from last week:

Maybe you can smell the Chilli and you are wondering How Long of LORD is this guy going to speak for?

A question of the afflicted that has no immediate deliverance.

Some have labelled this Psalm as the prime example and type Psalm of the “Prayer for Help” “Individual lament”

When was the last time you heard the phrase, “How Long?!” What was it about?… let people answer!

Road Trip!

White Van

It is during passages like these that I am tempted to not preach about them because they have to work through my life before they make it to your ears today.

Outline:

A Haunting Question: “How Long?” (vs. 1-2)

A Heavy Request: “Lift up My Eyes” (vs. 3-4)

A Heart-Filled Hallelujah: “Steadfast Love, Salvation, and Singing” (vs. 5-6)

Summary: The broken record of haunting questions is only answered in the unbroken record of God’s steadfast love and salvation.

Illustration:The white van, I can withstand a lot as long as I know when the end is coming.

Prayer:

A Haunting Question: “How Long” (vs. 1-2)

Pre-Script

To the Choirmaster

A Psalm of David

Forgotten: Theological, Personal (v. 1)

How Long- Theological #1, PAUSE FOR A MINUTE, used 4xs in these 2 verses, it is intensifying

O LORD- YHWH, name given through Moses

Will you forget- to lose (or seemingly lose) memory or remembrance of

ME forever?

God, have you neglected me, are you passive?

Isaiah 49:15–17 ““Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Your builders make haste; your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.”

Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””

This is the human experience, reconciling what I know with what I feel.

How Long: Personal/Relational #2

will you hide your face from me?- to prevent something, including oneself, from being seen or discovered.

Face- the expression of emotion, the intent of the soul

are we good, are you angry with me, are you sad, happy, dissapointed in me

God, are you actively ignoring me? Have you intentially distanced from me?

How do we take our prayers to God as one commentator put it, “when our very relationship to God seems to be part of the problem”?

Sorrow: Emotional , Social(v. 2)

How long: Emotional #3

must I take counsel- something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action. David is constantly asking God for counsel. He continues to ask God for direction in decisions but it seems that God is not answering

in my soul? inner self

and have sorrow - agony, grief, sadness associated with suffering some wrong or with regret

in my heart all the day- this complaint has more words than the first stanza of 2 verses. The first stanza has 5 words, the second 6 words, now this has 8 words.

God, the longer this continues, the harder it gets

How long- Social #4

shall my enemy be exalted over me?

God, it is hard enough that I do not feel or see your presence, but not you have left me in the presence of my enemy.

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

Let’s be honest, who has ever felt forgotten? Who has ever felt Sorrow that lasted more than a day?…show of hands

How about you, which haunting question of “How Long” do you resonate with more today

Feeling forgotten

A hidden face

prolonged sorrow

an enemy exalted over you

Mybe you are not asking how long, your prayer today is “Thank You, Lord, that you have answered when I had questions about…”

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

The questions of “How Long” that has been haunting me lately is the one about taking counsel in my soul and having sorrow in my heart all the day.

How long will you deal with it alone?

Transitional phrase: The Holy Spirit, through David, gives us permission to start with the honest truth about the state of our lives. It is only after David voices the haunting questions that he moves to a heavy request…

A Heavy Request: “Light up My Eyes” (vs. 3-4)

Consider, answer, and Light up (vs. 3-4)

Consider - imperative, look, to take note, to observe with care or pay close attention to. Oliver grabbing my beard and pulling my face towards him.

and answer me- imperative, to reply

O LORD- YHWH, same as before, God of deliverance, the God of Moses! I AM has sent you, not I was or I will be!

my God- elohim, the supernatural being who originated and rules over the univers.

Light up my eyes- imperative, to enlighten, to give spiritual insight to

Psalm 19:8 “the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;”

Ezra 9:8 “But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery.”

Proverbs 29:13 “The poor man and the oppressor meet together; the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.”

Ephesians 1:18 “having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,”

1 Samuel 14:27 “But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright.”

God is at the centre of the crisis and is the one

Lest (vs. 3-4)

lest

I sleep the sleep of death

lest my enemies say

I have prevailed over him

lest my foes rejoice

because I am shaken- to be caused to waver, of the 41x this is used, 26 of them are in Psalms

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

What is your heavy request today? Do you want God to see you? Do you want God to answer you? Do you want God to light up your eyes?

What has you the most concerned will happen if God does not see, answer, or lighten your eyes today? In other words, what would leave you the most shaken? Maybe your concern is for someone else today…

Maybe, you need to take a moment to pray, “Give Your light and life to (name) as they deal with…Give you light to……show your steadfast love to

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

Who are the “enemies”? What are the “foes” of your life saying? How is the world, the flesh, and the devil trying to shake you as of late?

Transitional phrase: The haunting questions of life drive us to making some heavy requests. So what happens next, how does this end? Where do we find light for the eyes?

A Heart-Filled Hallelujah: “Steadfast Love, Salvation, Singing” (vs. 5-6)

I have trusted (v. 4)

But

I have trusted- perfect tense, put one’s trust in something…

in your steadfast love- loyal love, I have nothing to give, I lay it before you! this has to happen first before what follows.

Theological- What I know of Him over what I feel in me…How did David deal with the Haunting questions of the soul, with the Heavy Theology of the Saviour- YHWH

What are you resolved to trust in this week?

My heart shall rejoice (v. 5)

My heart shall rejoice- imperfect, shout in exultation, whoo! Like many of us will be doing during the big game tonight!

in your salvation- YHWH, I am, the God who delivers

Personal/Relational/Emotional- a rejoicing heart over a sorrowful heart. Why? Because of His salvation, His deliverance. It may not be in the moment, but it is not merely a moment.

What will you choose to continually do while you wait?

I will sing (v. 6)

I will sing to the LORD- imperfect

because he has dealt bountifully with me- perfect tense, to repay, to give recompense for someone’s behaviour or actions, whether good or bad.

Emotional/Social- Singing to the LORD because of what He has given me over stewing about my enemies and what they have taken from me.

What songs will you add to the playlist of your heart this week? Remember, this is a song!

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

Transitional phrase:

Summary:

Discussion Starters:

What is my “Haunting Question” for God today? Is it theological, personal, emotional, or social?

What do I feel will happen if God does not answer or light up my eyes?

What will it look/sound like this week for me to trust in Your steadfast love, rejoice in Your salvation, and sing to the LORD?

Song:

Benediction/Looking ahead: INVITE PEOPLE TO THE CAFE