Psalm 13:1-4

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 ^[a]How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,

4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

Psalm 13:1-4 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David. According to Theodoret this psalm was written by David, not when he fled from Saul, but from Absalom; and gives this reason for it, what happened to him from Saul was before his sin, and therefore he could speak with great boldness; but what befell him from Absalom was after it, and therefore mourning and groans were mixed with his words.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 6:3
• 2. Psalms 42:9; Lamentations 5:20
• 3. S Deuteronomy 31:17; S Psalms 22:24; S Isaiah 8:17; S Isaiah 54:9; Job 13:24; Psalms 44:24
• 4. Psalms 42:4; Psalms 55:2; Psalms 139:23; Isaiah 33:18; Daniel 7:28
• 5. Psalms 94:3; Psalms 42:9
• 6. Psalms 9:12; Psalms 25:18; Psalms 31:7; Psalms 35:23; Psalms 59:4; Psalms 80:14; Psalms 107:41; Psalms 119:50,153
• 7. S Psalms 4:1; Psalms 5:1
• 8. S Ezra 9:8
• 9. Psalms 76:5; Psalms 90:5; Jeremiah 51:39
• 10. S 1 Kings 19:2; Psalms 25:2
• 11. Psalms 38:16; Psalms 118:13

Footnotes

• [a] In Hebrew texts 13:1-6 is numbered 13:2-6.