1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 13

I bet it hasn’t been very long since you have either thought or said the words “How Long?”  How long will this situation last?  How long will I have to…you fill in the blank.  Perhaps instead you prefer the more colloquial “When will…?” When will the St. Louis Cardinals play baseball again?  When will my children be able to go back to school?  How long is summer going to feel this year?

At times, indeed it can seem like the pain of this world will never disappear, and even, with the psalmist, as if our Lord has forgotten us!  Psalm 13 begins this way, but it does not end this way.  Rather, when King David is confronted with his enemies, he turns to his Lord with his problems. Believe it or not, no matter how big or small your anxieties are – God is big enough to handle them.  Cry out with King David for relief and peace!

When we call out to God – He does not promise to take away every hardship.  He does not guarantee that H will remove every pain – but He does promise to listen and hear His people! More, he promises salvation and hope – bounteous goodness!  If not in this life, then in the Life Eternal that he promises to all who trust and call upon his name.  May we too, in our hour of greatest need, be able to say that we can sing and rejoice, because God is Good – His goodness is in and through the work of His son Jesus on the cross, and victory over our enemies is given in the empty tomb of Easter!

So, whether today was good or bad, long or short – go back and pray the word of Psalm 13 once more.  Don’t read them, pray them.  Make it a prayer about your enemies, your long days, your singing and rejoicing.

Lord God.  Do not forget me today or ever. Enemies of body and soul surround me.  Please listen to me God!  I know you can hear me!  Evil must not triumph in me or over me!  I want to praise your name.  I will sing and praise you for you have been so good to me, especially through Jesus.  In his name. Amen.

Written by: Pastor Koenig