Psalm 13

Read Psalm 13 ESV

Who - David is speaking to the LORD.  He made it into a song for the choir to sing to the LORD.  

What - David writes a song for a difficult situation, a time of despair.  He indicates he is at his end and cannot go any further with this difficult situation.  Whether his exhaustion is physical, emotional, spiritual or all three is not clear and can apply to any of them.  He is expressing his feeling of desperation and asking the LORD to intervene.  He feels abandoned and forgotten by the LORD.  (It is important to distinguish between a psalm and a theological writing.  This is describing a feeling, not making a statement about God’s character or actual acts.)1  David is making the case that his enemy is not a covenant faithful person.  This is not just someone who he has a disagreement with, it is a person who has abandoned covenant faithfulness with the LORD or never participated in it.  

When - Unstated, but could fit any of a number of instances in David’s life.  

Where - Unstated

Why - David is feeling the despair of his enemy’s success against him as shown by the circumstances David is experiencing.  He is desperate for the LORD to intervene.  David wants to tell the LORD how he feels and plead with God to act on David’s behalf.  He asks the LORD for relief.  

How - David begins by expressing his anguish and desperation, even going so far as to tell the LORD he feels abandoned by the LORD.  Then he pleads for the LORD to hear and see David’s plight before David is dead and an unfaithful person has victory over David.  David ends his song with affirming his trust and belief in the LORD’S steadfast love, and that the LORD will deliver and restore David.  

So What 

1. It is OK to tell the LORD how we feel.  At times I have asked, and others have asked me, “Is it OK to tell the LORD how I feel when I think He has abandoned me or is not helping me.”  This Psalm shows it is right to tell the LORD how we feel.  We may not do it in an accusatory way, that would be sinning, because it is accusing Him of some evil or wrong doing.  For instance, the right expression is the exasperated, “I feel alone even though I know in my head that you haven’t left me.”  
2. We can and should cry out the LORD when we are in despair and feel hopeless.  When we feel despair and hopelessness we can most see our need for Him and He can do something amazing to show His love for us.  Expect to see Him act.
3. This psalm is for when we are pressed by an enemy of the LORD as well as our enemy.  This situation is when David is pressed by an enemy who has set themselves against the LORD also.  It is not someone who just has a disagreement with David.  Likewise we should not seek to apply this psalm when we are in conflict with another believer.  
4. No matter how bleak or hopeless our situation, our hope is in the LORD’S steadfast love for us.  As the LORD’S covenant children, we are heirs with Christ and members of the new covenant.  No love can be more steadfast than that of God the Father’s love for Christ.  We are recipients of this same love by being in Christ.  

1. ESV Study Bible Study Notes 13:1.