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?
– Psalm 13:1–2
Oh, part of me just wants to keep reading the rest of this Psalm. The next verse is saying, “Consider and answer me, O Lord my God. Light up my eyes.” The psalmist David in this instant longs for God to bring an end to his sorrow, for God to show his justice and his mercy, particularly amidst attacks coming at him. All throughout history, since this was written, this has been the cry of God’s people before him.
Psalm 13:1–2 Shows Us that it is Good to Bring our Questions Before God
I’m guessing most everybody listening to this right now knows what it’s like to ask this question. The psalmist is showing us that it is good to ask this question before God. How long, O Lord, how long is this going to last? Why is this happening around me? Why is this happening in the world? How long? How appropriate to read this Psalm on the Saturday in between Jesus dying on a cross, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday? What a clear reminder from God that we should not judge his love, his justice, his mercy, his power, his plans, his purposes in the short term, in the moment, in that which is immediately before us.
On that day in history, the disciples of Jesus were in total despair, not understanding why this had happened. Jesus had died. He’d been crucified. They are hiding in their homes, afraid of what’s going to happen next. Why God? How long? And little do they know at the next day, everything would be turned upside down, that Jesus’ tomb would be empty, and that the righteousness and justice and mercy and love and power and plans and purposes of God would be displayed in a way they never could have imagined.
Psalm 13:1–2 Reminds Us God will Ultimately Bring Resolution to Our Troubles
Be encouraged today amidst whatever is going on in your life that is hard, that makes you wonder how long and causes you to cry out to God, “Why? Why is this happening in my life? What’s the reason this happening in my family? Why is this happening in the world around me,” to know that God will show his righteousness, his justice, his love, his mercy, his power, his plans, his purposes, and ways far beyond what we can see in the short term, in the immediate moment as we walk through hard days in this world. Sunday is coming, Resurrection, life is the end of this story, and it will be the end of the story for all who trust in Jesus.
God, we praise you even as we pray to you, how long, how long, God, will this or that continue in our lives, thinking of particular things in my life right now. How long will this continue in my life, in other’s lives? Just thinking about headlines around the world, how long, O God? We say together with the psalmist today, we trust in you. Psalm 13:5. “I have trusted in your steadfast love.” God, we trust in your steadfast, eternal love. We trust that one day we will understand what you were doing during these days. We will see your power, your love, your mercy, your justice, your righteousness, your plans, your purposes accomplished in ways that resound to your glory and to our good and the good of the nation’s.
Praying for the Spread of the Gospel
We pray for the spread of the gospel, the news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection to all the world. We know that one day every nation, tribe, people, and language is going to be gathered around your throne. Lord, help us to live with that long view in mind and to live for that long view, to live for that day, to pray for that day, and give for that day and go and make disciples, however you lead us with that day in mind. God, help us to live today and every day with trust in your steadfast love and confidence in your long-term plan and purposes, even as we find ourselves asking, how long, oh Lord? In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder of Radical, an organization that makes Jesus known among the nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Don’t Hold Back, and How to Read the Bible.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
