2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, with sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: though I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, Jehovah shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of Jehovah -- for I have sinned against him -- until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light; I shall behold his righteousness. And mine enemy shall see [it], and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is Jehovah thy God? Mine eyes shall behold her; now shall she be trodden down, as the mire of the streets.
In the day of my trouble, I sought the Lord: my hand was stretched out in the night, and slacked not; my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and I moaned; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. Thou holdest open mine eyelids; I am full of disquiet and cannot speak. I consider the days of old, the years of ancient times. I remember my song in the night; I muse in mine own heart, and my spirit maketh diligent search. Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Hath his loving-kindness ceased for ever? hath [his] word come to an end from generation to generation? Hath ùGod forgotten to be gracious? or hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. Then said I, This is my weakness: -- the years of the right hand of the Most High Will I remember, -- the works of Jah; for I will remember thy wonders of old, And I will meditate upon all thy work, and muse upon thy doings.
Be gracious unto us, O Jehovah, be gracious unto us; for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.
Look on the right hand and see; there is no man that knoweth me: refuge hath failed me; no man careth for my soul. I cried unto thee, Jehovah; I said, Thou art my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may celebrate thy name. The righteous shall surround me, because thou dealest bountifully with me.
Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou settest a watch over me? When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions; So that my soul chooseth strangling, death, rather than my bones.
Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time? If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse. Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
Lo, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I do not perceive him; On the left hand, where he doth work, but I behold [him] not; he hideth himself on the right hand, and I see [him] not. But he knoweth the way that I take; he trieth me, I shall come forth as gold.
If I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me; (indeed I have freed him that without cause oppressed me;) Let the enemy pursue after my soul, and take [it], and let him tread down my life to the earth, and lay my glory in the dust. Selah.
I will say unto ùGod my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a crushing in my bones mine adversaries reproach me, while they say unto me all the day, Where is thy God?
Thou makest us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples. All the day my confusion is before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, Because of the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and the avenger.
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Commentary on Psalms 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 13
Ps 13:1-6. On title, see Introduction. The Psalmist, mourning God's absence and the triumph of his enemies, prays for relief before he is totally destroyed, and is encouraged to hope his trust will not be in vain.
1. The forms of expression and figure here used are frequent (compare Ps 9:12, 18; 10:11, 12).
How long … for ever—Shall it be for ever?
2. The counsels or devices of his heart afford no relief.
3. lighten mine eyes—dim with weakness, denoting approaching death (compare 1Sa 14:27-29; Ps 6:7; 38:10).
4. rejoice—literally, "shout as in triumph."
I am moved—cast down from a firm position (Ps 10:6).
5, 6. Trust is followed by rejoicing in the deliverance which God effects, and, instead of his enemy, he can lift the song of triumph.