Psalm 13 - NKJV Psalm 13 1 How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4 Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5 But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. 6 I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

How Long, O LORD? We have been listening to David now for 13 chapters. Are you hearing him? "Help Lord! Hear Me! Why Lord? How long?" We are all like David. We all wear his shoes from time to time. He minces no words. He doesn't beat around the bush. He says it like it is. He is not a phoney, even in prayer. ARE YOU? Have you told the Lord what you really think and feel? Have you even dared to say what you really are thinking? Or are you afraid to look at the mess that might be just below the surface? When we lived in Brazil infections were quite prevelant. If you did not take care of a cut or scrape, more often than not, it became infected. Our son battled these infections almost daily but it was a painful process to getting infections out of a wound, so he would avoid telling us about it. One day he complained about his finger hurting. When we looked at it we were astounded. It was red and swollen to the point of the cut opening up and puss oozing out. I talke to Andrew about going to the emergency room to have it treated but he did not want to hear of it. Then I described rather exaggeratedly what infections could do and how they could spread. It scared him quite badly and he consented to go to the clinic nearby to have it treated. What a mess! The doctor had to open the wound to clean the infection. It was ugly, painful, and smelly. But it had to be done. Within days his finger was back to normal. We are all are a lot like Andrew. We would rather pretend our pain isn't there and we are really hurting that badly. God, however, knows that the only solution to an infected heart is to open the heart it wide and let the puss ouinfection out. Then God can clean the wound and make it better. Peter said it well, "Casting all our care upon him, for he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:7 Will you let him into your hurt today? New King James Bible, Bible Gateway Index Our Devotional Index