PSALM 13

Psalm 13
1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
6 I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

Like all of us there were times the psalmist no longer felt the presence of the Lord. It wasn't that God was no longer there but that His presence, comfort, guidance, etc. was no longer felt. The very real probability here is that this is one of the times of David's sin. All believer's sin since we all still have our old Adamic nature, our sin nature, the old man- Paul calls it. When we let that nature rule, especially for an extended period of time we break fellowship with God (NOT the relationship). We lost the joy of our salvation (but NOT our salvation-see Ps. 51, I Jn. 1, Heb. 12, etc.).

David realized (v.3) if this chastening from the Lord continued it could end in premature death (a truth Paul confirms in I Cor. 11:30 as it is in other Scriptures) and asked God to help him see where he had gone wrong.

The Psalm ends with praise to God for His mercy, His salvation and His grace which David says he will rejoice in and sing about. When was the last time we sang praises to God for His goodness to us?