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A Prayer for Help[a]

13 How much longer will you forget me, Lord? Forever?
    How much longer will you hide yourself from me?
How long must I endure trouble?
    How long will sorrow fill my heart day and night?
    How long will my enemies triumph over me?

Look at me, O Lord my God, and answer me.
    Restore my strength; don't let me die.
Don't let my enemies say, “We have defeated him.”
    Don't let them gloat over my downfall.

I rely on your constant love;
    I will be glad, because you will rescue me.
I will sing to you, O Lord,
    because you have been good to me.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 13:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by David.

Psalm 13

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?(A)
How long must I bear pain[a] in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?(B)

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
    Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,(C)
and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
    my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.(D)

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

Footnotes

  1. 13.2 Syr: Heb hold counsels

13 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:

(1) How long, Adonai?
Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
(2) How long must I keep asking myself what to do,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long must my enemy dominate me?

(3) Look, and answer me, Adonai my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death.
(4) Then my enemy would say, “I was able to beat him”;
and my adversaries would rejoice at my downfall.

(5) But I trust in your grace,
my heart rejoices as you bring me to safety.
(6) I will sing to Adonai, because he gives me
even more than I need.

13 1-2 Long enough, God
    you’ve ignored me long enough.
I’ve looked at the back of your head
    long enough. Long enough
I’ve carried this ton of trouble,
    lived with a stomach full of pain.
Long enough my arrogant enemies
    have looked down their noses at me.

3-4 Take a good look at me, God, my God;
    I want to look life in the eye,
So no enemy can get the best of me
    or laugh when I fall on my face.

5-6 I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms—
    I’m celebrating your rescue.
I’m singing at the top of my lungs,
    I’m so full of answered prayers.