Psalm 13: God, Do You Hear Me?

Introduction

"Who thinks life with Jesus is easy?" Few hands go up. Arthur Fourniol, of Église Connexion in Paris, opens his message with this question. If we thought that becoming Christians would settle all our problems, we were mistaken. Being a Christian spares us neither illness nor the hardships of this world. "Otherwise, pharmacies would sell Bibles instead of medicine."

We have all been through hard times, and perhaps you are going through a season of intense suffering right now: a job search that drags on, the search for a husband or a wife, the healing of an illness that seems incurable, the wait for a child who does not come. So you pray the same prayer day after day, month after month, sometimes for years, with no answer, until you ask: "God, do you hear me?"

For the preacher, David's Psalm 13 is an excellent example of lament, prayer and gratitude for the times when we go through trials without an answer. In six verses, David moves from "How long?" to song. This message follows his path.

Message Outline

1. Life with Jesus is not a life without suffering

Being a Christian, says Arthur Fourniol, even adds to our difficulties. We now see much more clearly the sinful nature of our heart, against which we fight every day. We see what displeases God. We see in our relationships that we can hurt others. We want to change our attitude, often with little result, and we get discouraged. Jesus asks us to take up our cross and follow him (Luke 9:23): we swim against the current in a world that stands against God and those who belong to him.

Thankfully, we have a great God to whom we can entrust all our sufferings and all our struggles. "Whatever happens to me, I know I can talk to him, that he listens and that he will deliver me."

In this psalm, David is suffering, but we do not know exactly what he is going through. The word "enemy," which appears several times, could point to enemies who literally want him dead: the book of 1 Samuel tells how David was pursued by Saul, and the book of 2 Samuel how he was pursued by his son Absalom. But since the psalms are poems, it may also be an image: the illness he suffered at the end of his life, or the suffering caused by his own sin.

Suffering should not surprise us. By disobeying God, man brought sin into the world, and the whole creation bears the consequences: death, a broken relationship with God, a twisted heart that affects our relationships and our daily life. The preacher reads Genesis 3:17-19:

• "To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to your wife's voice, and have eaten from the tree, about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' the ground is cursed for your sake. You will eat from it with much labor all the days of your life. It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field. You will eat bread by the sweat of your face until you return to the ground, for you were taken out of it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.""
• We see this from the very beginning of the Bible. As Christians, we are not spared the consequences of sin. As long as we are on this earth, we live with a heart marked by sin, in a broken world.
• Our hope is that, despite these sufferings, we have a God who watches over us and takes care of us. John 15:7: "If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you."

2. "How long?": the impatience that makes us believe we are abandoned

Sometimes God takes longer than we would like to answer our prayers. This is the case for David, with the repeated "How long?":

• "How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long will I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?" (Psalm 13:1-2)
• We do not know how long David has been waiting for an answer, but this repetition points to a kind of impatience. "Lord, my enemies want my life. I need you now. Why are you taking so long to answer?"

The preacher observes that we are becoming more and more impatient. He works in web design, and human impatience is a central issue in the sites and apps he builds. If a page takes too long to load, the user leaves and a potential customer is lost. That is why we see loading bars or blinking elements before the page fully appears: "It's coming, it's coming, don't leave. Look, just a few more seconds to wait."

We lead fast lives and no longer have time to wait. And as Christians, we do the same thing with God: "How long will I have to wait for this job I need so badly? How long will I have to keep fighting this sin that ruins my life?"

This impatience is what leads David to say: "How long, Yahweh, will you forget me forever?" Waiting makes us feel abandoned by God. But the preacher stresses the word: we feel abandoned. It is a feeling, not reality. God does not abandon us. He reads Isaiah 49:14-16:

• "But Zion said, "Yahweh has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me." "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you! Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are continually before me."" Zion here refers to the people of Israel.
• Have you ever written something on your hand to make sure you would not forget it? It is usually the last resort. We are engraved on God's hands. We are constantly under his gaze. We are his children, and he loves us with a love even stronger than a mother's love for her newborn.
• Like a good parent, he knows better than we do what we need and when we need it. Our emotions make us believe that in the trial, when there is no answer, God has forgotten us. The reality is quite different: "I will not forget you."

Having feelings is a good thing. God created us with emotions, he created us in his image. It is normal to feel pain, joy, sadness, doubt, especially when going through hard times. As someone said this week in the preacher's support group: "It's okay to cry." We simply need to make sure our feelings do not take over our reason and make us believe false things.

So here is a first lesson: like David, let us come to God and express our feelings to him. Let us always be real and transparent with him, and tell him our pains and our questions. He is the person most able to understand us: he is our creator.

3. If God has not forgotten us, why doesn't he help us?

This is a difficult question, precisely because God's plans are divine and are not fully revealed to us. But the letter to the Romans gives us encouragement. The preacher reads Romans 8:28-30:

• "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified."
• God does not let us suffer in vain. We are his children. His whole plan works together for the good of those who love him. By his power, he uses the difficulties of the present moment to sculpt our souls and make them conform to the image of Christ for the times to come.
• There will be a time of judgment, but by his grace, as a testimony of his love, he gives everyone time to repent. 2 Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

"God is patient with us. Let us be patient with him."

4. Persevering in prayer: "Give light to my eyes"

How do we wait patiently? It is nice to know that this trial is here to shape my soul, but I am hurting. Day after day, I wear out. Little by little, with no answer, I lose hope. Here is David's attitude in the face of despair. The turning point of this psalm is perhaps the main lesson of the message: perseverance in prayer.

• "Behold, and answer me, Yahweh my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death; lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed against him;" lest my adversaries rejoice when I fall." (Psalm 13:3-4)
• In the first verses, David thought God had forgotten him. But David does not trust his feelings. He knows that God has not forgotten him and that his only hope is in him. So he cries out even louder and begs for his help.
• "Brothers and sisters, here is a magnificent example of faith. Believing when life is going our way is easy. But believing when nothing encourages us to, that is faith." Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen." Faith is a deep conviction that God will accomplish what he promised, and it means believing in the reality of what God has revealed, even if our eyes do not yet see it.

David recognizes that his situation, or rather his view of his situation, is blurred by his feelings. He has the humility to admit that, as a mere human being, he cannot understand why things are the way they are. His dearest prayer is then to ask God to give light to his eyes. He asks for light and wisdom, to see as God sees. It is only thanks to God and his Holy Spirit that we can understand and accept trials, recognize that the absence of an answer does not mean God has abandoned us, and be guided to find the right way to act in these hard times.

The preacher highlights the next part of the request: "lest I sleep in death." Even though David is attacked by enemies and fears for his life, he is speaking here, according to Arthur Fourniol, of a spiritual sleep. For a Christian, what is worse than death is spiritual death. Despite his difficulties, David knows that the worst thing that could happen to him would be to be without hope, without a relationship with God. If we are not enlightened by God, we are in darkness. As nature needs the sun, we need God's light. So when suffering persists and answers are slow to come, let us pray that God will not let us sink into despair, but that he will make his light shine on us, so that we keep hope in his promises.

David's attitude reminds the preacher of children who fall to the ground. The knee is scraped, the wound is there, it bleeds, it hurts, it must be serious. Panic, tears and screams. But despite the pain, they run to their parents, from whom help will come. A big hug, a few reassuring words, and off they run again. The wound on the knee is still there, but the parent's reassuring words give them a new perspective: this wound may not be so serious after all.

"I admit I particularly like this feeling with God. When my heart is heavy, I pray, I confide in him, I hand over to him what weighs on me, and often, after a sincere prayer, my burden is still there. But now it is a little lighter." This lightness is temporary: the preacher's anxious nature comes back to the surface. So it is up to him to persevere in prayer to receive it again.

By these examples, he in no way wants to minimize your suffering. He does not know what you have been through or what you are going through right now: perhaps something very hard, far more serious than a small scrape on the knee, or something that has lasted far too long. It is normal that you are hurting. Romans 8:22: "For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now." Going from tears to a shout of joy like David is simply impossible. Impossible on our own, impossible without God's help. And that is precisely why we pray.

Perhaps you do not know Christ and you too are going through hard times. Know that what he did for us, he also did for you. He is patient, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. "Please, do not wait." Your problems will not disappear by miracle, but Jesus is waiting for you with open arms to comfort you. If you doubt, ask Jesus to enlighten you, to open your eyes so that you recognize and are convinced that he is the way that leads to life (John 14:6).

5. From the cry to trust: looking toward the promises to come

In verse 5, what a radical change! It is as if David's prayer were magic, as if the answer were instant. His perspective is transformed:

• "But I trusted in your loving kindness. My heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to Yahweh, because he has been good to me." (Psalm 13:5-6)
• His gaze is no longer centered on himself, on his feet, on his present sufferings. He looks toward heaven, toward God and toward the promises to come, sure of a salvation that no one can take from him.
• Paul will say in Romans 8:18: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us."

In hard times, let us remember that we have God's favor: through Jesus Christ his Son, who took on himself the righteous wrath we deserved, who died on the cross and rose again, our sins are forgiven. Life is no longer without hope. Our sufferings are only temporary. Creation will be restored, evil eradicated, no more tears, no more pain (Revelation 21:4). And in this kingdom where God reigns as sovereign, a place is reserved for us and eternal life awaits us there. It is not easy, because we do not see it yet, but we can anticipate the certainty of what we hope for and rejoice in it from today.

This reminds the preacher of his childhood, when his parents announced that they would go to the amusement park. Of course they had to wait for the school holidays, and waiting for the holidays is long, very long. So every evening in bed, he imagined the rides, in what order to do them to make the most of the day, and he felt a certain pleasure in his heart even though they were not there yet. Today we call this the "hype": when something is cool and everyone wants it. "Friends, in Jesus we have eternal life and no one can take it from us. Let us keep our hearts in the hype of the promises to come."

6. Remembering past goodness, without waiting for Sunday

David, who was lamenting two verses earlier, now sings in honor of the Lord. Despite present difficulties, he remembers that it has not always been this way. He looks back and remembers that God has taken care of him.

• Let us look at where we came from: alone with ourselves, slaves to sin, unable to save ourselves. In his mercy, God came to find us, to lift us up, to save us. Do you remember the faith you had when you said yes to Christ? That inexpressible joy burning inside you, and that freedom experienced in the trial?
• Let us remember that there were not only bad days. The Christian life is not necessarily easier, but in some respects it is. Looking back, we see that Jesus has changed our heart and makes us a little better. The worries of life no longer have the same importance. We are no longer devastated by the slightest difficulty.
• Every time we received a kind word of encouragement from a brother or sister, every time we tasted the intense pleasure of helping others, and even in the simplest things: God renews his goodness toward us every day. He is the one who lets us breathe, the one who lets us enjoy a beautiful sunny day with family or friends.

This psalm reminds the preacher of what we sometimes experience on Sunday when we come to church. We arrive with a heavy heart, loaded with the burdens of the week, tired, acknowledging that by our own strength we can do nothing and that our only hope is in Jesus. Then we pray, we praise, we remind ourselves of the truths of the present and those to come. The service ends, and here we are, lighter, filled with God's peace and joy.

Let us not wait for Sunday to experience this. Let us be patient in affliction. Whatever we are going through, whatever our struggles, whatever the hour of the day or the day of the week, let us come and weep before God. Let us not be ashamed to come to him, to cry out our pains and doubts to him. "God is never too busy to listen to us." And while waiting for his answer, let us persevere in prayer. Let us ask God to give light to our eyes, to help us see as he sees, so that we hold firm in the trial and recognize that despite the absence of an answer, God has not abandoned us. With the help of his Spirit, let us remember the joys of the past and the promises to come: how he led us to himself, the blessings with which he fills us every day, and the assurance that one day we will be with God, freed from all suffering for eternity.

Key Takeaways

• Becoming a Christian does not remove suffering: we live with a heart marked by sin in a broken world, but with a God who watches over us.
• Waiting makes us feel abandoned. It is a feeling, not reality: we are engraved on God's hands (Isaiah 49:16).
• Like David, come to God with your feelings, your pains and your questions. He is the one most able to understand you.
• The turning point of the psalm is perseverance in prayer: asking God for light to see as he sees and not sink into despair.
• From the cry to trust: look toward the promises to come and remember past goodness, without waiting for Sunday to do so.

Personal Application

1. What prayer have you been repeating for months or years without an answer? Have you said it to God just as it is, with your doubts and your anger, like David?
2. In your waiting, which feelings have taken over your reason and made you believe that God had forgotten you?
3. Can you ask God this week to "give light to your eyes" rather than demanding an immediate answer?
4. Which past goodness of God do you remember? Which promise to come can feed your "hype" today?
5. Are you waiting for Sunday to lay down your burdens? At what moment in your week can you come and weep before God?

Verses Quoted

• Psalm 13
• Genesis 3:17-19
• John 15:7
• Isaiah 49:14-16
• Romans 8:28-30
• 2 Peter 3:9
• Hebrews 11:1
• Romans 8:22
• Romans 8:18
• Luke 9:23
• John 14:6
• Revelation 21:4

Frequently Asked Questions

What is David complaining about in Psalm 13?

David is suffering, but the psalm does not say exactly what from. The word "enemy" comes up several times: it could be Saul or Absalom pursuing him, but since the psalms are poems, Arthur Fourniol reminds us that it can also stand for the illness at the end of his life or the suffering linked to his own sin.

When God is slow to answer, has he forgotten me?

No. Waiting makes us feel abandoned, but that is a feeling, not reality. Isaiah 49:15-16 answers this feeling: "Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you! Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands." God is patient with us and uses difficulties to make us like Christ (Romans 8:28-30).

What does "Give light to my eyes" mean in Psalm 13?

David recognizes that his view of his situation is blurred by his feelings. He asks God for light and wisdom to see as God sees, so as not to sink into despair, that sleep of death which for the preacher is a spiritual death, a life without hope and without a relationship with God.