Christianity

Psalms 13How Long, O Lord?

Summary

Psalm 13 is one of the shortest and most compact laments in the Psalter. It begins with four urgent questions asking how long God will forget and hide his face, and how long the enemy will triumph. The speaker then pleads to be answered before he sleeps the sleep of death. In the last two verses the tone turns to trust in God's mercy and a promise to sing. It is traditionally ascribed to David.

Key verse

“How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?”

Psalms 13:1

Themes

Lament
Waiting on God
Hiddenness
Turn to Trust

How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Islam
Surah Ash-Sharh (94): With Hardship Goeth Ease
Quran 94:5 to 6 twice promises that ease comes with hardship. Like the turn at the end of Psalm 13, it reassures a burdened believer that relief is near.
Judaism
Tehillim 13 in the JPS 1917 Tanakh
The psalm moves from complaint to petition to trust in six verses, a pattern many Jewish and Christian teachers use to describe how lament prayer works.

Questions about Psalms 13

Why does Psalm 13 ask How long four times?

The repetition expresses a long, unresolved trial. Asking God how long implies the speaker still believes God can act and will.

How does Psalm 13 end?

After the complaints, verses 5 and 6 declare trust in God's mercy and a resolve to sing because God has dealt bountifully with the psalmist.