Embrace the Word for Friday, January 23, 2026
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Psalms 12-14 pertain to David’s distress in the midst of his struggles. The historical context, while not specified by any superscription details, should best be assumed to be the ongoing assaults against David, either during his ascendancy to the throne or while he was on the throne. The wicked are a clear and present threat. Psalms 12-14, along with Psalms 10 and 11, form a subunit of emphasis. Psalms 10-14, all of which are laments, offer a perspective on the kind of people spoken of in Psalm 2:1-3, who engage in the rebellion against the Lord and His king. Psalm 10 and Psalm 14 highlight the wicked’s disregard for God, as what they say in their hearts—there is no God—is brought to light. Psalm 11 and Psalm 13 parallel each other in that they focus on the threats of the wicked and the struggle of the righteous to persevere under those threats until the Lord fulfills His promise. Psalm 12, the center of this subunit concentrates on what things are like when the wicked appear to be on the rise; while at the same time, announcing the purity of God’s Word to bring to pass what it guarantees.
For the remainder of this reflection we will focus on Psalm 13. As are many of the Psalms in this section, Psalm 13 is a lament. Psalm 13 opens with words that express an agonizing anguish: “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 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?” (13:1-2). This lament Psalm begins with an honest question. In fact, four times David asks: “how long?” There is a desperate urgency in his questions. The language of “forever” and “all the day” reveal that David is bewildered.
Should we reprimand David for talking like this? Absolutely not! Of course David is incorrect—the Lord had not forgotten him, nor hid His face from him—but that is not the point. God authorized this Psalm, as its worded, for use in Israel’s worship, and He commissioned it for our instruction. The Lord was willing for word to get out that sometimes His people feel this way. The Lord thought it was good for us to be brought into the anguish expressed in this Psalm. We should be glad and thankful to the Lord to have this dear, tear-stained word to pray. The Lord wants us to know that He understands us. The Lord desires His people to bring their anguish to Him.
David does believe that the Lord would do all that He promised, but David wonders when He would do it. David’s weariness is over how long he would have to wait till God did what He promised. In the meantime, David expresses his weariness, first toward the Lord: “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (13:1). David’s anguish is magnified as he feels that God has forgotten him and hid from him. But David also expresses his weariness within himself: “How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?” (13:2a). David’s anguish is multiplied as he feels that he is all alone with no one to counsel or comfort him. Finally, David expresses his weariness as he notices his enemies: “How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?” (13:2b). David’s anguish mushrooms as he feels as though his enemies’ victory over him is at hand. David’s weariness and anguish has prompted him to consider whether or not all the things he believes in regard to the Lord and His promises, will be proven false. Is Psalm 1 true? How about Psalm 2? David is struggling through this extended season of not seeing the Lord’s plans come to fruition.
In his bewildered struggle, where does David go? By the grace of God, in the midst of his weariness and anguish, it is the instinct of faith to go to the Lord. David cries out to the Lord: “Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken” (13:3-4). Track the development of David’s situation. He is under attack and afflicted. So David prays. But his situation remains the same. So David prays more. But his situation remains the same. So David prays still more. But his situation is still the same. After a while David begins to entertain the thought that maybe God has forgotten him and gone into hiding, that maybe he is on his own, that maybe his enemies will prevail. So what does David do? He prays and goes right on praying. David keeps on praying to a God that he feels is not listening to him, for David believes that there is no other God to which he can pray. It is an instinct of faith to be persistent in pleading before the Lord. What a sign of assurance: when we simply can’t turn away from the Lord, we must be His!
To the God whom David feels has forgotten him and hid from him, David prays, “Consider and answer me, O Lord my God” (13:3a). David takes his weariness and anguish, which he interprets as being from God’s neglectful hiddenness, to the Lord. To the God whom David feels bereft of all counsel and comfort, David prays: “light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death” (13:3b). David takes his weariness and anguish because of his abandonment and loneliness, to the Lord. David’s request, “light up my eyes,” seems to mean that David is asking for the Lord to strengthen him and give him stamina. A similar phrase is used in reference to Jonathan when he tasted honey on a long battle march: “See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey” (see 1 Samuel 14:29). To the God whom David feels has allowed his enemies to overtake him, David prays: “lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken” (13:4). David takes his weariness and anguish over the notion that his enemies’ conquest over him is eminent, to the Lord.
David clarifies his resolve: “But I have trusted in your steadfast love” (13:5a). David is emphatic: both as to his resolve, and also to the focus of his resolve. David opened by expressing how he feels, but now he expresses the object of his reliance. David is anchoring himself and his weary anguish to the character of God—the deep, abiding, undeserving, steadfast, affection—that the Lord has toward him. Even when it feels like the Lord has forgotten His own and gone into hiding from them, He hasn’t—He never has; He never will—He won’t and He can’t, for His covenantal love is durable and devoted.
David’s trust in the Lord’s steadfast love is not only resolute, it is also rapturous: “my heart shall rejoice in your salvation” (13:5b). Such joy exuberantly sings: “I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me” (13:6). The weary anguish of “how long?,” has become singing happiness due to the abundant care of the Lord toward him. Having assurance of the Lord’s steadfast love for him makes all the difference. It may look like our enemies will rejoice over us, but it turns out that we can rejoice in the Lord and the sure outcome that He will provide (note “rejoice” is used in 13:4, for David’s enemies, and 13:5, of David himself). Such confidence in the face of uncertainty, will sing.
As we reflect on Psalm 13, we should consider how it is that David went from they cries of despairing lament, “how long?,” to the happy songs of confidence. The mood shift in six short verses is intense and extraordinary. What accounts for this monumental shift? Might we even call the shift miraculous? Well, I propose that it is at least supernatural. The fulcrum of Psalm 13 is David’s prayer. Perhaps, more precise, the fulcrum of Psalm 13 is how God works through the prayers of His people. When we call upon our God and Father of Jesus, our praying is doing more than pouring out our sorrows and supplications. Contained within our praying is the ministry of the Spirit of Jesus who not only groans in and through our prayers (see Romans 8:26-27), He also stirs in our hearts the love that God has for us in Christ and the confidence of our still to come final outcome of our salvation (see Romans 8:23-25). Such stirring of the Spirit gives rise to singing.
That’s all for Embrace the Word for Friday, January 23, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Monday, January 26, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalms 15-16.