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Psalm 13[a]

Prayer for Help

For the leader. A psalm of David.

I

How long, Lord? Will you utterly forget me?
    How long will you hide your face from me?(A)
How long must I carry sorrow in my soul,
    grief in my heart day after day?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?

II

Look upon me, answer me, Lord, my God!
    Give light to my eyes lest I sleep in death,
Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed,”
    lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.(B)

III

But I trust in your mercy.
    Grant my heart joy in your salvation,
I will sing to the Lord,
    for he has dealt bountifully with me!(C)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 13 A typical lament, in which the psalmist feels forgotten by God (Ps 13:2–3)—note the force of the repetition of “How long.” The references to enemies may suggest some have wished evil on the psalmist. The heartfelt prayer (Ps 13:4–5) passes on a statement of trust (Ps 13:6a), intended to reinforce the prayer, and a vow to thank God when deliverance has come (Ps 13:6b).

How Long, O Lord?

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

13 (A)How long, O Lord? Will you (B)forget me forever?
    How long will you (C)hide your face from me?
How long must I take (D)counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

(E)Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
    (F)light up my eyes, lest (G)I sleep the sleep of death,
(H)lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am (I)shaken.

But I have (J)trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall (K)rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

PSALM 13

Vertrauen in die Wohltaten Gottes

13 Dem Vorsänger. Ein Psalm Davids.

Wie lange, o Herr, willst du mich ganz vergessen?
Wie lange verbirgst du dein Angesicht vor mir?
Wie lange soll ich Sorgen hegen in meiner Seele,
Kummer in meinem Herzen tragen Tag für Tag?
Wie lange soll mein Feind sich über mich erheben?
Schau her und erhöre mich, o Herr, mein Gott;
erleuchte meine Augen,
daß ich nicht in den Todesschlaf versinke,
daß mein Feind nicht sagen kann,
er habe mich überwältigt,
und meine Widersacher nicht frohlocken, weil ich wanke.
Ich aber habe mein Vertrauen auf deine Gnade gesetzt. Mein Herz soll frohlocken in deinem Heil; ich will dem Herrn singen, daß er mir wohlgetan!

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.