Theme

Speak your sadness to God with confidence in His steadfast love.

Text

1 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Introduction | Anatomy of a Lament

A Sorrowful Cry (vv. 1–2)

The Assaults of an Enemy

The “Absence” of God

A Serious Prayer (vv. 3–4)

The Gravity of This Prayer

The Grounds of This Prayer

The Personal Grace of This Prayer

A Settled Decision (vv. 5–6)

Emphatic Faith

Worshiping While Weeping

Settled on His Steadfast Love

Conclusion |”A Little While” (1 Peter 5:10)

Discussion Questions

1. What is a lament? Based on Ps. 13, what are some of its key ingredients?
2. How does David describe his situation in the first two verses? What might he say is the worst part about this situation?
3. If God is omniscient, what would it mean for Him to “forget” David? Why would this be terrible? See v. 1b; Num. 6:22-27; Ps. 11:7, Ps. 17:15; Ps. 27:4.
4. What is David’s prayer in v. 3? What reason/ground does he give God for this prayer in v. 4? How might this inform your own prayer life?
5. What decision does David announce in v. 5? Does this surprise you? What reason does he give for this decision?
6. What are some past events, present realities, or future promises in the Biblethat show the great faithfulness of God? Think of some examples on your own, then, as time allows, consider some of the verses below: Gen. 22:12–14; Ex. 34:6–7; Jos. 1:9; 1 Kg. 19:4–8; Lam. 3:22; Luke 22:31–32; John 11:25; Acts 2:22–24, 36–41; Eph. 1:3–6; 2 Thess. 3:3–5; Heb. 13:5–8; Rev. 6:9–11.
7. “Our own schedule for suffering is often much shorter than God’s.” Why does God allow pain to linger in our lives? What should we do in response? See Ps. 56:1–4; 2 Cor. 12:9–10; James 1:2–4; 1 Pt. 1:6–7.