Psalm 13 Story behind the Psalm
Overview
Background Ideas
- The question "How long? signals lament. It it not really a question, but rather, in speech act terms, an expressive. Similar expressions are known from ancient Mesopotamia, often in prayers for healing.
- Sickness was viewed as just as dire a situation as a battle wound, brought on by men's curses and overcome by YHWH's compassion.
- The expression "to hide one's face" is used several times in the Psalms, in the sense of turning a blind eye to the suffering of the innocent (Pss 10:11; 13:2; 22:25; 27:9; 30:8; 44:25; 51:11; 69:18; 88:15; 102:3; 104:29 (obj.: animals); 143:7).
- YHWH promised to David that:
- he would one day be king (1 Sam 16:1, 12),
- his house and kingdom would be established forever (2 Sam 7:16).
Background Situation
Expanded Paraphrase
(For more information, click "Expanded Paraphrase Legend" below.)
| Expanded paraphrase legend | |
|---|---|
| Close but Clear (CBC) translation | The CBC, our close but clear translation of the Hebrew, is represented in bold text. |
| Assumptions | Assumptions which provide background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences are represented in italics. |
v. 1
For the director. A psalm by David.
v.2
How long, YHWH? (I'm in distress and I'm bringing my lament to you, since we have a covenant relationship.) Will you ignore me forever? (You promised me that you would establish my kingdom forever, but it doesn't look like that now.) How long will you hide your face from me (and not see or do anything about my unjust suffering)?
v.3
How long will I make (futile) plans (and keep worrying about my troubles)? [How long] will sorrow be daily in my heart? (You promised to give me rest from all my enemies.) (Yet my enemy is apparently winning). How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
v.4
Consider (stop ignoring me, and pay attention to me instead)! Answer me, YHWH (who because we are in covenant together, I appeal to as) my God! (I am weak and near death because of the wound from my enemy / because of my illness, so) Give light to my eyes (and restore my health and vigour) (as I know you're able), lest I sleep (permanently) in death,
v.5
lest my enemy say, “I have overpowered him!” [lest] my adversaries rejoice because I am shaken.
v.6
But (because you made a covenant with me to rescue me from all my enemies, and because you promised never to remove your covenant loyalty from me,) I have put my trust in your covenant loyalty. (I know that you will answer my prayer and save me.) Let my heart rejoice because of your salvation (which I can expect is coming soon because of your covenant promises)! I will sing to YHWH, because he has repaid me (and will continue to act justly toward me in the future)!