A Prayer for Help in Trouble

131 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

Other Translations of Psalm 13:1

New International Version

A Prayer for Help in Trouble

131 In Hebrew texts 13:1-6 is numbered 13:2-6.How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

English Standard Version

A Prayer for Help in Trouble

131 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

The Message

A Prayer for Help in Trouble

131 Long enough, God - you've ignored me long enough. I've looked at the back of your head

New King James Version

A Prayer for Help in Trouble

131 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?

New Living Translation

A Prayer for Help in Trouble

131 O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 13:1

Chapter Contents

The psalmist complains that God had long withdrawn. He earnestly prays for comfort. He assures himself of an answer of peace.

God sometimes hides his face, and leaves his own children in the dark concerning their interest in him: and this they lay to heart more than any outward trouble whatever. But anxious cares are heavy burdens with which believers often load themselves more than they need. The bread of sorrows is sometimes the saint's daily bread; our Master himself was a man of sorrows. It is a common temptation, when trouble lasts long, to think that it will last always. Those who have long been without joy, begin to be without hope. We should never allow ourselves to make any complaints but what drive us to our knees. Nothing is more killing to a soul than the want of God's favour; nothing more reviving than the return of it. The sudden, delightful changes in the book of Psalms, are often very remarkable. We pass from depth of despondency to the height of religious confidence and joy. It is thus, ver. 5. All is gloomy dejection in ver. 4; but here the mind of the despondent worshipper rises above all its distressing fears, and throws itself, without reserve, on the mercy and care of its Divine Redeemer. See the power of faith, and how good it is to draw near to God. If we bring our cares and griefs to the throne of grace, and leave them there, we may go away like Hannah, and our countenances will be no more said, 1 Samuel 1:18. God's mercy is the support of the psalmist's faith. Finding I have that to trust to, I am comforted, though I have no merit of my own. His faith in God's mercy filled his heart with joy in his salvation; for joy and peace come by believing. He has dealt bountifully with me. By faith he was as confident of salvation, as if it had been completed already. In this way believers pour out their prayers, renouncing all hopes but in the mercy of God through the Saviour's blood: and sometimes suddenly, at others gradually, they will find their burdens removed, and their comforts restored; they then allow that their fears and complaints were unnecessary, and acknowledge that the Lord hath dealt bountifully with them.

13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint [1] him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

Other Translations of Psalm 17:13

New International Version

13 Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down; with your sword rescue me from the wicked.

English Standard Version

13 Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,

The Message

13 Up, God: beard them! break them! By your sword, free me from their clutches;

New King James Version

13 Arise, O Lord, Confront him, cast him down; Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword,

New Living Translation

13 Arise, O Lord ! Stand against them, and bring them to their knees! Rescue me from the wicked with your sword!

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 17:13

Commentary on Psalm 17:8-15

(Read Psalm 17:8-15)

Being compassed with enemies, David prays to God to keep him in safety. This prayer is a prediction that Christ would be preserved, through all the hardships and difficulties of his humiliation, to the glories and joys of his exalted state, and is a pattern to Christians to commit the keeping of their souls to God, trusting him to preserve them to his heavenly kingdom. Those are our worst enemies, that are enemies to our souls. They are God's sword, which cannot move without him, and which he will sheathe when he has done his work with it. They are his hand, by which he chastises his people. There is no fleeing from God's hand, but by fleeing to it. It is very comfortable, when we are in fear of the power of man, to see it dependent upon, and in subjection to the power of God. Most men look on the things of this world as the best things; and they look no further, nor show any care to provide for another life. The things of this world are called treasures, they are so accounted; but to the soul, and when compared with eternal blessings, they are trash. The most afflicted Christian need not envy the most prosperous men of the world, who have their portion in this life. Clothed with Christ's righteousness, having through his grace a good heart and a good life, may we by faith behold God's face, and set him always before us. When we awake every morning, may we be satisfied with his likeness set before us in his word, and with his likeness stamped upon us by his renewing grace. Happiness in the other world is prepared only for those that are justified and sanctified: they shall be put in possession of it when the soul awakes, at death, out of its slumber in the body, and when the body awakes, at the resurrection, out of its slumber in the grave. There is no satisfaction for a soul but in God, and in his good will towards us, and his good work in us; yet that satisfaction will not be perfect till we come to heaven.