Psalm 13

A Plea for Deliverance

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

Lord, how long will You forget me?
Forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?(A)
How long will I store up anxious concerns[a] within me,
agony in my mind every day?
How long will my enemy dominate me?(B)

Consider me and answer, Lord my God.
Restore brightness to my eyes;(C)
otherwise, I will sleep in death.
My enemy will say, “I have triumphed over him,”
and my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.(D)

But I have trusted in Your faithful love;(E)
my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance.(F)
I will sing to the Lord
because He has treated me generously.(G)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 13:2 Or up counsels

Psalm 13[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

How long,(A) Lord? Will you forget me(B) forever?
    How long will you hide your face(C) from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts(D)
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?(E)

Look on me(F) and answer,(G) Lord my God.
    Give light to my eyes,(H) or I will sleep in death,(I)
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,(J)
    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.(K)

But I trust in your unfailing love;(L)
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.(M)
I will sing(N) the Lord’s praise,
    for he has been good to me.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 13:1 In Hebrew texts 13:1-6 is numbered 13:2-6.

13 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? 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?

Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, 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.

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.