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Psalms

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Day 94

"How long, O LORD?"

Day 94 – Psalm 13

“How long, O LORD?” Psalm 13:1a

INTERROGATIVE ELEMENTS

Some psalms have an interrogative element. These are expressed in the following psalms. These interrogative statements represent a number of things:-

1. Rhetorical questions

“How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood?”
Psalm 4:2

2. Plaintive cry to God for urgent deliverance

“My soul also is greatly troubled; but You, O LORD- how long?”
Psalm 6:3

The same interrogative element is seen in the following text:

“How long, O LORD? Will Your forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy exalted over me?”
Psalm 13:1-2

HOW LONG?

The psalmist expressed deep concern over the following matters:-

1. That God seemed to have forgotten him.

2. That God had hidden His face from him.

3. That God had not given him any counsel.

a) Instead he had to take counsel from himself (“soul”).
b) There was an obvious difference between God’s counsel and his own wisdom.

4. That sorrow had prevailed.

a) The joy of the Lord seemed to have disappeared.
b) Instead there was daily sorrow.

5. That the enemy had somehow prevailed.

a) He was exalted.
b) David on the other hand seemed defeated.