March 30, 2021 -- Psalm 13 -- Sorrow-filled child sh'ma ~ singingly hear and obey Jesus

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.

Psalm 13 English Standard Version

Fascinating how those who profess they do not believe in God, yet, the moment when troubles come, blame Him? They don’t blame the Easter Bunny for eggs not delivered. They do not blame the tooth fairy if their beloved child only get $5.00 per tooth while their daughter’s classmates get $10. It is ridiculous even to consider it. Ask yourself, how often do non-believer friends shake a fist at whatever god they claim they do not believe in when things go against them?

Here today the psalmist deeply believes in the LORD God. He is crying out, using the covenant Name of God three times, at verse 1, 3, and 6. LORD. It is the Name by which God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush. It is the Name which reveals God is above and beyond time—from eternity to eternity—and therefore is powerful to save. It is the Name by which He has promised He will act on behalf of His people and for this reason it is the Covenant Name of God.

In this world believers in Jesus Christ will have sorrows. As the clouds hide the sun, so the face of the LORD God seems to be hidden. Yet just as it is vapors and waters which hide the sun so also it is the merest mists of troubles that make the LORD our God seem distant. As the slightest breath of wind, or the first warming rays of sunshine will evaporate all the mist so too will the slightest evidence of the LORD’s nearness restore hope and light to the tormented psalmist.

The vexations of the psalmist are real. The burdens are heavy. But what removes the mists of sorrow and tears away the veils of anguish are songs sung to the LORD. In them the people of God are reminded Jesus has conquered sin, death, Satan and all his hosts. What we see with our eyes is fleeting, the eyes of faith behold God in His terrible majesty, where the angels of the LORD are about to lift to their lips to sound the trumpet’s last call signaling that Christ will return accompanied by all His holy ones. The Spirit of God takes the songs of faith and Scripture and puts them on our lips so that hope is renewed. As the LORD our God has been faithful in the past, so He ever will be faithful. Sing to Him, O believer. Hymn your songs until hope rises renewed like the dawn.

My LORD God, it is almost too much for me to formulate a prayer. With the psalmist I declare: I have trusted in Your steadfast love; therefore I will choose to rejoice in Your salvation. As I hear the songs of salvation, may my heart join in singing to You, King of kings and LORD of lords and thus remember You have dealt bountifully with me in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

https://youtu.be/ORSYRgu6Z7g