Gleanings from the Psalms

Gleanings in the Psalms
Psalm 13

The psalm cannot be referred to any especial event or period in David's history. All attempts to find it a birthplace are but guesses. It was, doubtless, more than once the language of that much tried man of God, and is intended to express the feelings of the people of God in those ever-returning trials that beset them. If the reader has never yet found occasion to use the language of this brief ode, he will do so ere long, if he be a man after the Lord's own heart. We have been wont to call this the "How Long Psalm". We had almost said the "Howling Psalm", from the incessant repetition of the cry "How Long?"

C. H. Spurgeon

Verse 1. "How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord …?"
There are many situations of the believer in this life in which the words of this psalm may be a consolation, and help to revive sinking faith. A certain man lay at the pool of Bethesda, who had an infirmity thirty and eight years. A woman had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years before she was loosed. Lazarus all his life long laboured under disease and poverty till he was released by death and transferred to Abraham's bosom. Let every one, then, who may be tempted to use the complaints of this psalm, assure his heart that God does not forget His people; help will come at last, and, in the meantime, all things shall work together for good to them that love Him.

W. Wilson

Verse 2. "How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?"
There is such a thing as to pore on our guilt and wretchedness, to the overlooking of our highest mercies. Such, for a time appears to have been the case of David. He seems to have been in great distress; and, as is common in such cases, his thoughts turned inward, casting in his mind what he should do and what should be the end of things. While thus exercised, he had "sorrow in his heart daily:" but, betaking himself to God for relief, he succeeded, trusting in His mercy, His heart rejoiced in His salvation (verse 5). There are many persons who, when in trouble imitate David in the former part of this experience: I wish we may imitate him in the latter.

Andrew Fuller

Verse 3. "Consider and hear me, O Lord my God …" Note the cry of faith: "O Lord MY God!"
Is it not a very glorious fact that our interest in our God is not destroyed by all our trials and sorrows? We may lose our gourds, but not our God. The title deed of heaven is not written in the sand, but in eternal brass.

C. H. Spurgeon

Verse 3. "Lighten mine eyes …"
A prayer fit for (1) every benighted sinner; (2) every seeker of salvation; (3) every learner in Christ's school; (4) every tried believer; (5) every dying saint.

B. Davies (Hints to a Village Preacher)

Verses 4 and 5. "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'…"
If the Lord think it not good to give an outward delivery, faith will be content with a glimpse of God's countenance for the present; "Lighten mine eyes," saith he; that is, let me have some immediate comfort to uphold me in the hope of my delivery. It is death to a godly man who has seen "Him who is invisible" to be long without the sense of God's love … as here: "Lighten mine eyes LEST I SLEEP THE SLEEP OF DEATH". The enemies of the godly feed themselves with the trouble of the godly … "Lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death; LEST MINE ENEMY SAY: 'I HAVE PREVAILED AGAINST HIM'".

David Dickson

Verses 5 and 6. "But I have trusted in Thy mercy … I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me".
What a surprising change is here in a few lines! In the beginning of the psalm we have seen him drooping, trembling, and ready to sink into melancholy and despair; but, in the close of it, rejoicing in God, and elevated and enlarged in his praises. See the power of faith, the power of prayer, and how good it is to draw near to God. If we bring our griefs and cares to the throne of grace, and leave them there, we may go away like Hannah, and our "countenance will be no more sad".

Matthew Henry

Verse 6. "I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me".
Faith keeps the soul from sinking under heavy trails, by bringing in former experiences of the power, mercy and faithfulness of God to the afflicted soul. Hereby was the Psalmist supported in distress. Oh, saith he, remember what God hath done, both for thy outward and thy inward man: He hath not only delivered thy body when in trouble, but He hath done great things for thy soul. He hath brought thee out of a state of black nature, entered into a covenant relation with thee, made His goodness pass before thee; He hath taught thee to pray and many times hath heard thy prayers and thy tears. He hath not brought thee out of the horrible pit and out of the miry clay, and put a new song in thy mouth, and made thee to resolve never to give way to such unbelieving thoughts and fears again? And how unbecoming it is for thee now to sink in trouble.

John Willison

This Page Title – Gleanings in the Psalms – Psalm 13
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