Psalm 13

Intro

Intro: How many of you like to wait on things? Ever been in the car on a long trip and you just get wore out waiting to get there? Ever had your child or been with a child who kept constantly asking - “Are we there yet?”

Transition to the Text: Tonight I want to look at a Psalm where the author asks that very question - “How much longer?” Now, we are not sure what occasion brought on the writing of this Psalm, but we can be certain that it was written when the author was going through some stuff.

Text:

Psalm 13 NLT

For the choir director: A psalm of David. 1 O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? 2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? 3 Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die. 4 Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!” Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. 6 I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.

Transition to points: Tonight I want to spend just a few moments looking at this little poem of David and I want you to remember one thing - YOU DON’T HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD IS DOING, YOU JUST NEED TO REMEMBER WHO HE IS.

This Psalm is a Psalm of David and it’s broken into 3 sections.

Complaint, Request, and Worship.

Or for those of you who like fancy alliterations - pain, prayer, praise.

Points

Complaint

This Psalm shows us that God is ok with your complaint!

“David wrote this Psalm when he was exhausted and depressed.  This psalm was wrung out of the extremity of his soul.  He simply could not go on, not for another day, not for another hour, not for another minute.”  (Phillips, Psalms Volume 1, 99)

David feels abandoned, not just by people, but even by God. He feels utterly and completely alone.

He asks 4 “how longs?”

How long are you going to forget me?

How long are you going to look the other way?

How long will I be sad?

How long will my enemy keep winning?

It’s not that David had forgotten God, it just seemed, from David’s viewpoint that God wasn’t doing much about his situation.

He’s Asking - “How long do I have to go through this before you step in and do something about it?”

This Psalm reminds me that we can tell God how we feel.

Discuss: What’s an area where you’ve asked God - “How long?”

Illustration: Ever been to a restaurant where they have a complaint card box? Remember God takes complaint cards!

Request

This shows us that God is ok with your request!

The next thing we notice in this Psalm is a request. David has complained because he doesn’t feel like God is acting on his behalf. He now moves to requesting something from God.

God answer me!

God give me some Joy!

Don’t let this thing overcome me!

Notice his complaint and his request go together

He moves from asking God who long he’ll be forgotten, to asking God to answer him.

He moves from asking God how long he will be sad, to asking for joy.

He moves from asking God how long his enemies will win, to asking they be defeated.

Lay your complaint out before God, and then ask him to move on your behalf!

Worship

God is to be worshipped, even i your difficulty

We don’t know if the problem was resolved - It was eventually, but we don’t know if it was resolved when he wrote this last part.

Notice the But - (vs. 5)

David is saying - “I might not understand what you’re doing, But I will trust in your unfailing love!”

The Lord’s love is unfailing - this is true no matter what your situation!

The Lord has been good to him - this is true no matter that situation!

1.The Lord has been good to him - this is true no matter that situation!

Illustration - If I were to be blindfolded and told that I had to go through an obstacle course, and could take one individual with me to help lead me through this difficult course, I would pick my wife or one of my closest friends. Why? Because I know that I can trust them. I may not be able to see what they are doing and I may not understand all that they are telling me, But I know them well enough to know that they can be trusted. Why? Because I have relationship or History with them. They have proven themselves to be trust-worthy.

A.Illustration - If I were to be blindfolded and told that I had to go through an obstacle course, and could take one individual with me to help lead me through this difficult course, I would pick my wife or one of my closest friends. Why? Because I know that I can trust them. I may not be able to see what they are doing and I may not understand all that they are telling me, But I know them well enough to know that they can be trusted. Why? Because I have relationship or History with them. They have proven themselves to be trust-worthy.

1.God has proven himself to be trustworthy - if you’re having problems trusting God, remember all that he has done for you in the past! 2.If you’re struggling to remember what he has done for you, read your Bible and read all that he has done for others, and be encouraged that if he comes through for them, he will come through for you!

God has proven himself to be trustworthy - if you’re having problems trusting God, remember all that he has done for you in the past!

If you’re struggling to remember what he has done for you, read your Bible and read all that he has done for others, and be encouraged that if he comes through for them, he will come through for you!

Discuss: How has worship and singing to the Lord helped you through a difficult time in your past?

CONCLUSION

No matter what you face in life remember - You don’t have to understand what God is doing, you just have to understand who he is. You can complain and request, but at the end of the day you must remember that God’s love is unfailing and remember that he is Good and that you can trust him.