2 Till when do I set counsels in my soul? Sorrow inn my heart daily? Till when is mine enemy exalted over me?
Thou dost not rejoice over me, O mine enemy, When I have fallen, I have risen, When I sit in darkness Jehovah is a light to me. The indignation of Jehovah I do bear, For I have sinned against Him, Till that He doth plead my cause, And hath executed my judgment, He doth bring me forth to the light, I look on His righteousness. And see doth mine enemy, And cover her doth shame, Who saith unto me, `Where `is' Jehovah thy God?' Mine eyes do look on her, Now she is for a treading-place, As mire of the out-places.
Remember this -- an enemy reproached Jehovah, And a foolish people have despised Thy name.
In a day of my distress the Lord I sought, My hand by night hath been spread out, And it doth not cease, My soul hath refused to be comforted. I remember God, and make a noise, I meditate, and feeble is my spirit. Selah. Thou hast taken hold of the watches of mine eyes, I have been moved, and I speak not. I have reckoned the days of old, The years of the ages. I remember my music in the night, With my heart I meditate, and my spirit doth search diligently: To the ages doth the Lord cast off? Doth He add to be pleased no more? Hath His kindness ceased for ever? The saying failed to all generations? Hath God forgotten `His' favours? Hath He shut up in anger His mercies? Selah. And I say: `My weakness is, The changes of the right hand of the Most High.' I mention the doings of Jah, For I remember of old Thy wonders, And I have meditated on all Thy working, And I talk concerning Thy doings.
If I have said, `My foot hath slipped,' Thy kindness, O Jehovah, supporteth me. In the abundance of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul.
Favour us, O Jehovah, favour us, For greatly have we been filled with contempt, Greatly hath our soul been filled With the scorning of the easy ones, With the contempt of the arrogant!
Looking on the right hand -- and seeing, And I have none recognizing; Perished hath refuge from me, There is none inquiring for my soul. I have cried unto thee, O Jehovah, I have said, `Thou `art' my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.' Attend Thou unto my loud cry, For I have become very low, Deliver Thou me from my pursuers, For they have been stronger than I. Bring forth from prison my soul to confess Thy name, The righteous do compass me about, When Thou conferrest benefits upon me!
A joyful heart maketh glad the face, And by grief of heart is the spirit smitten.
Also all his days in darkness he consumeth, and sadness, and wrath, and sickness abound.
Why hath my pain been perpetual? And my wound incurable? It hath refused to be healed, Thou art surely to me as a failing stream, Waters not stedfast.
`Thou hast said, Wo to me, now, for Jehovah hath added sorrow to my pain, I have been wearied with my sighing, and rest I have not found.
Her uncleanness `is' in her skirts, She hath not remembered her latter end, And she cometh down wonderfully, There is no comforter for her. See, O Jehovah, mine affliction, For exerted himself hath an enemy.
then saith he to them, `Exceedingly sorrowful is my soul -- unto death; abide ye here, and watch with me.'
but because these things I have said to you, the sorrow hath filled your heart.
that I have great grief and unceasing pain in my heart --
From the mouths of infants and sucklings Thou hast founded strength, Because of Thine adversaries, To still an enemy and a self-avenger.
and that a man doth find his enemy, and hath sent him away in a good manner; and Jehovah doth repay thee good for that which thou didst to me this day.
And Esther saith, `The man -- adversary and enemy -- `is' this wicked Haman;' and Haman hath been afraid at the presence of the king and of the queen.
A sea-`monster' am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard? When I said, `My bed doth comfort me,' He taketh away in my talking my couch. And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me, And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones.
Though I say, `I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!' I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.
If I have done wickedly -- wo to me, And righteously -- I lift not up my head, Full of shame -- then see my affliction,
Lest he tear as a lion my soul, Rending, and there is no deliverer.
If I have done my well-wisher evil, And draw mine adversary without cause, An enemy pursueth my soul, and overtaketh, And treadeth down to the earth my life, And my honour placeth in the dust. Selah.
O thou Enemy, Finished have been destructions for ever, As to cities thou hast plucked up, Perished hath their memorial with them.
To judge the fatherless and bruised: He addeth no more to oppress -- man of the earth!
All beholding me do mock at me, They make free with the lip -- shake the head, `Roll unto Jehovah, He doth deliver him, He doth deliver him, for he delighted in him.'
Let lips of falsehood become dumb, That are speaking against the righteous, Ancient sayings, in pride and contempt.
These I remember, and pour out my soul in me, For I pass over into the booth, I go softly with them unto the house of God, With the voice of singing and confession, The multitude keeping feast!
I say to God my rock, `Why hast Thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning in the oppression of an enemy? With a sword in my bones Have mine adversaries reproached me, In their saying unto me all the day, `Where `is' thy God?'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 13
Commentary on Psalms 13 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 13
This psalm is the deserted soul's case and cure. Whether it was penned upon any particular occasion does not appear, but in general,
To the chief musician. A psalm of David.
Psa 13:1-6
David, in affliction, is here pouring out his soul before God; his address is short, but the method is very observable, and of use for direction and encouragement.
In singing this psalm and praying it over, if we have not the same complaints to make that David had, we must thank God that we have not, dread and deprecate his withdrawings, sympathize with those that are troubled in mind, and encourage ourselves in our most holy faith and joy.