How Long, O Lord?

By Pastor Wilson

How long? David asks this question four times in the opening verses of Psalm 13, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 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?” It was a question on David’s mind and heart as he was being hunted and chased by King Saul and his men. How long would he have to endure? How long would he have to run? How long until the Lord would answer his prayers.

I’ve heard that question asked a lot recently in our context too. How long will this pandemic last? How long until we can start meeting again at church? How long until everything gets back to normal? Like you, I wish we had answers to those questions, but of course we know that we don’t. That’s why we ask them, isn’t it? That’s why we ponder them. That’s why we cry out to God and earnestly seek an answer from Him. How long, O Lord?

David continues in verses 3 and 4, “Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.” Here David moves from simply asking questions to imploring God to hear His prayer. David asks the Lord to preserve His life, but also that the Lord would show His power and glory to those who don’t know Him. Perhaps those two ideas can faithfully categorize our prayers during these days too. Lord, watch over us and those who lead us. Save those who are ill and hospitalized. Give strength and protection to those who risk their health to preserve ours. But even more, may Your glory shine forth in these events, so that others would know You. Give us confidence and trust in You, so that others may be pointed to the peace that comes from You. Give us a heart of love for those around us in need, so that others would be pointed to Your heart for them in Christ Jesus. Give healing and relief to our land, so that people everywhere can meet together again to hear Your Word and receive Your gifts in joy.

David begins this psalm by earnestly asking God how long this will all last. Then David asks God to act for his protection and for God’s glory. In the final two verses of the psalm, David is no longer focused on the situation around him or what he is asking for. Rather, David’s focus is on who God is, what He has done, and what David will do because of it.

“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” David confesses who God is. He is full of chesed- steadfast love, loving-kindness, grace. Even in the face of all that we go through in this life, the mercy and grace of our God outshines it. For even being pursued by one who wanted to take his life, David knew that His God was with him. Even facing unprecedented times of anxiety and concern in our world and our lives today, we know that God has won the victory for us in Christ Jesus. He has given us life and salvation. The forgiveness of all of our sins through Jesus’ blood shed for us on the cross. A place in God’s family forever through our baptism promises applied to us. Like David, we can boldly claim that God has dealt bountifully with us too- for He has.

“David confesses who God is. He is full of chesed- steadfast love, loving-kindness, grace. Even in the face of all that we go through in this life, the mercy and grace of our God outshines it.”

And so, may we model David’s prayer in Psalm 13 as we continue to journey through these days of the pandemic. We can’t help but cry out, how long? We turn our prayers and petitions to the One who can do something about what we face. And then let us thank the Lord that He has done something about all that seeks to attack us in this life and has won the victory over it- for He has dealt bountifully with you and me in Jesus Christ.