Psalm 13 ‘Forgotten? Still Faithful’

‘Truth for Truckers’Forgotten?*February 13, 2014* Psalm 13 ‘Forgotten? Still Faithful’

     ‘But I have trusted in Thy mercy: my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because He hath dealt bountifully with me.’(v.5, 6) Now this does not sound like the David who spoke so desperately abandoned of soul and sorrow of heart in the first four verses when thought he was forgotten. But as is so common with his relationship with God in the Psalms he penned, when it seems the darkest the greater the light when it shines through. David had great faith in God’s mercy, so much so that his heart literally ‘rejoiced’ in God’s delivering power. This is the emphasis here, he is looking forward to the deliverance, the rescue God will perform, ‘Because He hath dealt bountifully with me’ (v.6) in the past.

     David’s remembrance of the LORD’s mighty and miraculous power to save him out of any bewildering circumstance that the enemy may bring into his path was his stay in this and many other situations that seemed hopeless. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, yes the great and mighty power of the Holy Spirit Who dwells within every child of God.

     Even though it seemed as though the LORD had forgotten David: ‘How long wilt Thou forget me O LORD? Forever? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?’ (v.1, 2). These are real questions many of us face today when it seems as though the LORD is far distant, and the heavens are as brass, and there is no word from the LORD. We look within to our own soul for help, our hearts bend to the breaking point with sorrow every day, we see the real enemies of sadness and discouragement rule over our thinking exalting themselves in place of the ‘Rejoice Regardless’ attitude all children of God should maintain.

     Then David make his urgent requests of God which turn the Psalm inside out, from sadness and discouragement to rejoicing and encouragement: ‘Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten my eyes’. These three thought filled requests open up avenues of grace to the soul of David as he focuses his heart on the LORD, now expecting Him to relieve and deliver him from his enemies. He declares the dreadful consequences if the LORD does not bring on His miraculous rescue: ‘Lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.’ It is obvious that David’s enemies were real people that meant to do physical harm, but, even though we too could be up against people who are advocates of the devil in our own experience, the spiritual application for us is also appropriate.

     Because, we have the promise: ‘When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will raise up a standard against him’. Yes, it the blessed Holy Spirit within Who gives us the comfort, the encouragement, and the power to overcome, just as the Scripture says in Ephesians 3:20 ‘According to the power that works in us’, and herein lies our promised deliverance, through the very power of the Holy Spirit for He is our Holy Comforter, He is our Holy Advocate, He is our Holy Guide, the One that brings us the victory, with the Lord Jesus Christ getting all the glory in the end. Therefore, we can understand and say with David ‘Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me’ (Psalm 51:11) as David made this vital request emphasizing the active presence of the person of the Holy Spirit in his life for the supply of joy, liberty and the ministry of soul-winning spoken of in (Psalm 51:12,13). This ministry of the Spirit answers the questions of Psalm 13, just how did David make such a marvelous turn and end up rejoicing in the LORD regardless? It was in and through the power and supply of the Spirit of God, attained by faith through the disciplined digestion of the Word of God!

Chaplain L.E.Wolfe www.btmi.org  I-85 Exit 35 SC  McPilot  Stop in, and please pray for our ministry