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<h2><a onclick="return mV('Psa',13,'1-');">Psa 13</a> – Enlighten My Eyes</h2>
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<p><i>This is a Psalm of transition. Starting in discouragement and despair, David finishes in a place of trust, joy, and encouragement.</i></p>
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<p>A. David's despair.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',13,1);">1</a>) David's despair with the <span class="c6">Lord</span>.</p>
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<p class="c2">How long, O <span class="c6">Lord</span>?<br>Will <span>You</span> forget me forever?<br>How long will <span>You</span> hide Your face from me?</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">How long, O <span class="c6">Lord</span>?</span></b> It seems that every child of God has asked this question at one time or another, and that every follower of God has felt neglected by God - or at least that they have waited a long time for God to do what needs to be done.</p>
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<p class="c5"><span>i. "If the reader has never yet found occasion to use the language of this brief ode, he will do so ere long, if he be a man after the Lord's own heart."</span> (Spurgeon)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. <b><span class="c3">How long</span></b>: "This question is repeated no less than four times. It betokens very intense desire for deliverance, and great anguish of heart...It is not easy to prevent desire from degenerating into impatience. O for grace that, while we wait on God, we may be kept from indulging a murmuring spirit!" (Spurgeon)</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. "Whenever you look into David's Psalms, you may somewhere or another see yourselves. You never get into a corner but you find David in that corner. I think that I was never so low that I could not find that David was lower; and I never climbed so high that I could not find that David was up above me, ready to sing his song upon his stringed instrument, even as I could sing mine." (Spurgeon)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Will <span>You</span> forget me forever? How long will <span>You</span> hide Your face from me?</span></b> The pain in David's heart came from a sense that God had forgotten him and that God was distancing Himself from David. No doubt, David had faced worse circumstances but had faced them more bravely when he sensed the presence of God with him. Yet now, feeling distant from God, it did not take much to send David into despair.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. God will never forget us: <i>But Zion said, "The <span class="c6">Lord</span> has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me." Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of <span>My</span> hands.</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',49,'14-16');">Isa 49:14-16</a>)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. "The final absence of God is hell itself. 'Depart from me, ye cursed,' is worse that 'into everlasting fire.' To be punished from the presence of the Lord is the hell of hells, <a onclick="return mV('2Th',1,9);">2Th 1:9</a>." (Trapp)</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>c</span>. <b><span class="c3">Forget...Hide Your face</span></b>: Of course, God did not <b><span class="c3">forget</span></b> David. God did not <b><span class="c3">hide</span></b> His <b><span class="c3">face from</span></b> David - but David felt like it. When we have such strong feelings then the feelings create their own reality. David <i>felt</i> God had forgotten him, and <i>felt</i> God was hiding. So, in a sense, it was true for David – but true according to <i>feelings</i>, not according to <i>fact</i>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. There is a balance in life when it comes to feelings. Some people ignore feelings, and think that feelings should have nothing to do with our relationship with God. This is an extreme, because God has given us feelings as an expression of His image in us. We can feel anger, love, care, sorrow, and many other feeling, because God feels those feelings. In this sense, feelings are a gift from God and a sign that we are made in His image.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. On the other side, some live their lives <i>ruled</i> by feelings. They believe whatever reality their feelings present them. The problem with this is that though we have feelings because we are made in the image of God, our feelings are affected by our fallenness. We can't <i>trust</i> our feelings because of this. In this sense, it was all right for David to feel these feelings, and good to take them to God, but he should never accept the reality of feelings as "real" reality.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. "This is a lesson of profound value. If the heart be overburdened and Jehovah seems to hide His face, let the story of woe be told to Him. It is a holy exercise. Men may not understand it. They may even charge us with failing faith." (Morgan)</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',13,2);">2</a>) David's despair with himself and others.</p>
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<p class="c2">How long shall I take counsel in my <span>soul,</span><br><i>Having </i>sorrow in my heart daily?<br>How long will my enemy be exalted over me?</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">How long shall I take counsel in my soul</span></b>: No wonder David was discouraged! Taking counsel in his own soul had led him to <b><span class="c3">sorrow in</span></b> his <b><span class="c3">heart daily</span></b>. When I am discouraged and depressed, the answer is not looking inside <span>myself</span>, but in looking to the <span class="c6">Lord</span>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Many times when I am confronted with problems, I find this to be true: The more I <i>think</i> about the problems, the more depressed I get. But when I <i>pray</i> about the problems, a glorious sense of release and peace comes.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. Thinking about our troubles is hard work. Trouble is often like a pill God wants us to just swallow, but we make it worse by keeping it in our mouths and chewing it.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. Spurgeon advised a sermon on the phrase, "<b><span class="c3">How long should I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?</span></b>" He suggested that the sermon would have these points: "<i>Self-torture</i>, its cause, curse, crime, and cure."</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">How long will my enemy be exalted over me?</span></b> This mentions the third way that David was depressed. David didn't want to lose in any area he was attacked and see his <b><span class="c3">enemy...exalted over</span></b> him.</p><ul class="c6"><li>First, in his relationship with God.</li><li>Second, within himself.</li><li>Third, in regard to his enemies.</li></ul>
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<p class="c5">i. This was not a purely selfish desire. David knew he was the <span class="c6">Lord</span>'s man, with a special calling to lead God's people. In this sense, David's enemies were the <span class="c6">Lord</span>'s <span>enemies,</span> and enemies over the people of God.</p>
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<p>B. David's dependent prayer.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',13,3);">3</a>) David prays for his relationship with God.</p>
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<p class="c2">Consider <i>and </i>hear me, O <span class="c6">Lord</span> my God;</p><br>Enlighten my eyes,<br>Lest I sleep the <i>sleep of </i>death;</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Consider and hear me</span></b>: We should not think that David meant two different things when he said, "<b><span class="c3">Consider and hear me</span></b>." He used the Hebrew method of repetition to show emphasis. David desperately cried out to God, asking the <span class="c6">Lord</span> to <b><span class="c3">hear</span></b> him.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. David felt God was not listening before (<i>Will <span>You</span> forget me forever? How long will <span>You</span> hide Your face from me?</i> <a onclick="return mV('Psa',13,1);">Psa 13:1</a>). Yet he should continue to cry out because God is honored when we persistently and desperately cry out to Him.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. God often waits until our prayers are desperate until He hears us. The cause of the powerlessness of much of our prayer is betrayed by its lack of desperation; too often we almost pray with the attitude of wanting God to care about things we really don't care too much about.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. Desperate prayer has power not because it in itself persuades a reluctant God. Instead, it demonstrates that our heart cares passionately about the things God cares about, fulfilling Jesus' promise <span><i>If</i></span><i> you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you.</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Jhn',15,7);">Jhn 15:7</a>)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Enlighten my eyes</span></b>: David had the wisdom to know that though he felt powerful feelings, he wasn't seeing reality. His vision was clouded and dark, so he cried out to God, "<b><span class="c3">Enlighten my eyes</span></b>."</p>
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<p class="c5">i. This was a great prayer. We need the light of God to shine upon us and to give us His wisdom and knowledge. No matter what problem we are in, we should cry out with all our heart, "<b><span class="c3">Enlighten my eyes</span></b>."</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. The apostle Paul knew the importance of having our eyes enlightened by the Lord. This is what he prayed for Christians: <i>that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, <u>the eyes of your understanding being enlightened</u>; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Eph',1,'17-19');">Eph 1:17-19</a>)</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Lest I sleep the sleep of death</span></b>: If we are not enlightened by God, we will surely fall asleep. And often, spiritual <b><span class="c3">sleep</span></b> leads to spiritual <b><span class="c3">death</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Paul may have had this verse in mind when he wrote of our need for the light of Jesus: <i>Awake, you who <span>sleep,</span> arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light</i>. (<a onclick="return mV('Eph',5,14);">Eph 5:14</a>)</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',13,4);">4</a>) David prays for victory over his enemies.</p>
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<p class="c2">Lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed against him";<br><span><i>Lest </i>those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.</span></p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Lest my enemy say</span></b>: David knew one of the worst parts about losing to anyone is hearing them boast after they have defeated you. He did not want his <b><span class="c3">enemy</span></b> to <b><span class="c3">rejoice</span></b> when he was brought low.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Lest my enemy</span></b>: "Awareness of God and the enemy is virtually the hallmark of every psalm of David; the positive and negative charges which produced the driving force of his best years." (Kidner)</p>
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<p>C. David's declaration.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',13,5);">5a</a>) David's trust in God's mercy.</p>
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<p class="c2">But I have trusted in <span>Your</span> mercy;</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">I have trusted</span></b>: David, after his prayer, came to a place of confidence and trust. <b><span class="c3">I have trusted</span></b> speaks in the past tense; it is as if David remembered that he really did trust God and he cleared away the fog from his sleepy eyes as God enlightened his eyes.</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>b</span>. <b><span class="c3">In Your mercy</span></b>: At this place of discouragement, David could not trust in God's justice, or in God's law, or in God's holiness. Those things might condemn him because his feelings had made him not see clearly. But he could always trust in God's <b><span class="c3">mercy</span></b>. When you can't trust anything else, trust in God's mercy.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "He begins his prayer as if he thought God would never give him a kind look more...But by the time he had exercised himself a little in duty, his distemper wears off, the mists scatter, and his faith breaks out as the sun in its strength." (William Gurnall, cited in Spurgeon)</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',13,'5-6');">5b-6a</a>) David's joy in the <span class="c6">Lord</span> and His salvation.</p>
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<p class="c2">My heart shall rejoice in <span>Your</span> salvation.<br>I will sing to the <span class="c6">Lord</span>,</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">My heart shall rejoice</span></b>: Now, David was still in the realm of feelings (<b><span class="c3">rejoice</span></b>). But he directed his feelings instead of having his feelings direct him (<b><u><span class="c3">shall</span></u><span class="c3"> rejoice</span></b>). He told his heart to get busy rejoicing!</p>
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<p class="c4"><span>b</span>. <b><span class="c3">In Your salvation</span></b>: This what David rejoiced in. David, if he could rejoice in nothing else, could rejoice in the salvation God gave him. This is solid ground for any believer. If you are saved, you can <b><span class="c3">rejoice</span></b>, and tell your heart to start rejoicing.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">I will sing to the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>: David knew rejoicing is wonderfully expressed in singing. So, he would <b><span class="c3">sing to the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>. Singing to the <span class="c6">Lord</span> would both <i>express</i> his joy and <i>increase</i> his joy.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "There is not half enough singing in the world...I remember a servant who used to sing while she was at the wash-tub. Her mistress said to her, 'Why, Jane, how is it that you are always singing?' She said, 'It keeps the bad thoughts away.'" (Spurgeon)</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',13,6);">6b</a>) <span>With</span> enlightened eyes, David sees God's goodness.</p>
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<p class="c2"><span>Because He has dealt bountifully with me.</span></p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Because He has dealt bountifully with me</span></b>: As David thought about it, he had good reason to rejoice and sing because God had been good to him. If we will only think about it, every person on this earth has reason to rejoice, because in some way God has been good to everyone.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">He has dealt bountifully with me</span></b>: What a transition! In the beginning of the Psalm, David was overwhelmed by his feelings and believed that God forgot him and was hiding from him. He had trouble with God, with himself, and with others. Yet now he saw how God had <b><span class="c3">dealt bountifully with</span></b> him. Because his eyes were enlightened, David could now see God's goodness, and what a change in perspective that was!</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Before God can enlighten our eyes, we must agree that we don't see everything. We need to realize that our feelings are not giving us full and accurate information. But if we will do this, and cry out to the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, He will enlighten our eyes and bring us from a place of despair to a place of trust, joy, and confidence!</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. "[In times of trouble, the Lord] would with one Scripture or another, strengthen me against all; insomuch that I have often said, <i>Were it lawful, I could pray for greater trouble, for the greater comfort's sake</i>." (John Bunyan, cited in Spurgeon)</p>
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