Psalm 13 (Message Prayers)
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How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me. -
What Jesus is like
What Jesus asks
What he does
Introductions: From Northern Ireland, living on the Isle of Wight, retired Healthcare Chaplain. Brief word about the car accident that left me disabled.
My testimony is about lifting up Jesus, he must have the pre-eminence Colossians 1:18, as John the Baptist said, ‘he must increase that I may decrease,’ John 3:30.
I have been a wheelchair user since that Road Traffic Accident (RTA) in 1979. During my 8 months in Pinderfield’s Hospital, I was visited by Chaplain Roger. I was discharged after eight months. Much later, I felt called to ordination and challenged to give up my accountancy business and study at Durham University Cranmer. Not only had the accident changed me physically, it changed me spiritually. I became more reliant on the word of God for daily strength and sustenance.
The Psalms were (still are) a rich resource.
There are Psalms of the Sufferer: 13, 22, 55, 102
Psalm 55:1 ‘Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught.’
102:1 ‘Hear my prayer, Lord; let my cry for help come to you.’
There are Psalms of Refuge:
Ps 46:1 ‘God is our Refuge and Strength, our ever-present help in trouble.
Ps 71:1 ‘In you Lord I have taken Refuge.’ (Ps 31:1)
Ps 91, Those who dwell in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.’
At the time of my accident, I couldn’t get these words out of my head – ‘Into your hands I commit my spirit,’ words from the cross Luke 23:46.
I thought they were the words for someone who is dying and I didnt want them in my head, I wanted desperately to cling on to life.
Later I discovered our Lord Jesus was quoting Psalm 31:5, ‘Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.’ A prayer for deliverance, words of trusting our lives in God’s care. Just what I needed in my hour of need. The Holy Spirit was praying the Psalms through me and for me! Wow, He is altogether trustworthy.
Those visits from Roger had made an impression on me. I became an Honorary Chaplain at Pinderfields in 2000, then in 2006 I was appointed Chaplain at Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTH) and in 2011 I became Lead Chaplain for the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, serving patients in both a hospital and hospice setting. As Chaplain, I encounterd people seeking meaning and purpose in life post-trauma. Assumed ‘givens’ – independence, mobility and good health - are stripped away and life looks different for many patients following illness or trauma. Then along comes the chaplain in a wheelchair. And, because that young twenty-three-year-old was trapped under a car off Honister Pass – broken and traumatised – he there is rapport.
In the Psalms, we have a rich resource of poems and prose, prayer and songs all ways of expressing emotions, longings and declarations of confidence in God who promises that he is ‘our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble’ Ps 46:1. That has been my experience. Since I lay crushed in the bottom of a ravine in Honister Pass when I heard his promise ‘I am with you,’ to this very day, the promise is true, ‘I am with you, always,’ Matt 28:20.
Psalm 13 is a Psalm that helps un the waiting, when there is a delay in answers to our prayers.
Kelvin shares briefly about life in Ulster and Friends School. Became a Christian before Grammar school and that changed everything. CU was important. Teacher BB and peers (BH) helped tremendously. Spoke about how the troubles shaped every young persons life in 1970’s.
Left NI for Uni Manchester, studied Economics. Active in sports, after Uni job in Accounting, active in church - what could go wrong - the bottom fell out of my world.
The car crash at the age of 23 - disabled. Waiting for a miracle.
Waiting is difficult. After the accident in 1979 – there were cards and messages about healing. There was much prayer for healing, FGB, mum Rita, ORU, Wimber, McNutt, a prayer group in church –all petitioning God - seeking healing - 45 years later, still waiting.
We know Psalm 13 is a song (note to the choirmaster) but we do not know the exact circumstance of the trouble David was in, ‘every day I have sorrow in my heart.’ He had prayed for healing of a child (who died), from a Disease (Psalm 38:5). King Saul tried to kill him. He was P.O.W. in Gad. There could be many types of trouble. In fact, not knowing what led to this Psalm being penned enables us as worshippers to enter in to the message of the Psalm in our own waiting.
Whatever David’s situation he is Lamenting, Waiting and Worshipping – words that help us respond to God’s silence. You are here this weekend- maybe hard, anxiety, worry, trouble and you need God to show up - you feel overlooked 13:1 how long?
Lamenting. Waiting. Worshipping
Lamenting
David laments; he asks for God’s attention. Ps 13:3, ‘Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes.’ Then he expresses the consequences of the waiting
1. I will sleep in death 2. ‘My foes will rejoice’
Lamenting: face-hiding implies a deliberate act. ‘Will you forget forever,’ also implies a deliberate act. This would be thought of as irreverent today. But notice Face-hiding also assumes a personal relationship with God, still present. Like the father hiding his face from the infant – yet he is with us always (Matt 28:20).
Grandson Isaac. Cover my face – he’s sad - I'm gone. I revealed my face again, he smiles - I'm back. I turned my face to him. Maybe we are like Isaac - God how long will you turn your face from me? Still, He’s ever-present. We can't see the full picture. David is in turmoil - can't feel God's presence. God has ignored his pain, his heartache, the threats, the trouble.
This Psalm is in the Bible because God wants to know how we feel even if it grieves him even if we accuse him. David felt God was looking the other way. But vip still David prayed. Lucy Grimble: “In season’s of life, where its hard to see, and hard to understand… ‘still I will pray. Even in this oh Lord.”
Notice, that David lamenting ‘how long’ four times - is still a prayer. Many times I have sat with people, and they say I don't think God hears me. I don't think he is with me and I reply, ‘If you put God as the sentence starter, then it is a prayer,’ like Psalm 13 or another Psalm that David sang.
When we suffer, trouble or illness and there doesn't seem to be a way out we are so vulnerable spiritually, physically, mentally. In that situation, we have a choice to move towards God or you move away. There is no fence to sit on. It is (a) or (b). David teaches us something vip – he moves to God. He shares his feelings. Tells God how he feels. Have you ever done that? It is a right response.
Lamenting expresses our thoughts and concerns - that God has abandoned us. As we lament in reality, we are moving towards God, not away because we choose to pray.
Waiting
Psalm 13 helps us draw closer to God when we experience silence and delay as we pray. Psalm 13 helps us express both our frustration and our loyalty when we question is God even hearing me. Does God care in that personal way that a parent cares for a child? I’m sure we have all been in a situation where we’re praying for guidance or Praying for a miracle. It needs to be now. Then you don’t get the job, or the house, you miss the flight, the condition worsens or the loved one dies. We are tempted to say – what’s going on, I give up (praying).
My Lake of Tears experience came out of that background, came out of expressing all of that in prayer on the 10th anniversary of my accident and resulting disability.
Ps 13:1,2 says how long (four times). How long will you turn your face from me? 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 day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
KB Lake of tears: After years of waiting - I was drifting from my trusting in a personal God to an impersonal view. I repeatedly played this song. I couldn't pray anything but Paul Field's ‘Don't let me fall from you.’ It was a very personal prayer. Then I ranted at God, God you don't know how hard this is, the tears, the frustration, the loss, the pain, you don't know. It was anguish expressed.
Read Book Excerpt pg 119
NB God is Omniscient (all knowing) - when you pray that sort of prayer it is not new information to God. When you say Lord I'm ill, I'm in trouble, I'm struggling, I’m lost. Do you think God is up in heaven and saying ‘Oh no I forgot all about him - I was so busy in Ukraine.’ And I forgot about KB struggling.
Nonsense, he is omniscient - all-knowing. He is omnipresent: ever-present everywhere.
KB Diary entry 1/1/79. I wrote… ‘something to do with my legs.’
What is that all about? God is an all-knowing God, telling me he is ahead of me. He knows everything. He loves you he is with you always even when it doesn't seem like it. He is YHWH - his name given to Moses – I Am. always present.
With you always means what he says ‘always.’ Yes even now. It's a promise. KB signs ‘Always.’
Sign above my door. Matthew 28:20, ‘I am with you always.’. Psalm 46:1 Ever present help in times of trouble. Emanuel - God with us - that says it all.
‘Withness’ is part of God's character; it's in his nature to never leave us or forsake us. He can't be anything but with us.
Isa 7:14 Hebrew Immanu (with us) and El (God). Other religions give you advice, mindfulness techniques, prayer patterns or posture - Christianity gives you Christ.
A person: Within you, dwelling, Upon you – soaking, Around you – guarding.
A person, not a feeling nor an exercise - a presence – God with us in the waiting.
If God seems silent or seems to keep us waiting it is not because he isn't there, it’s not because doesn't love you. His promise is his presence.
Worshiping
“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.” Psalm 13:5,6.
Psalm 13:5,6 is the climax of the Psalm: ‘But I trust in your unfailing love, I will rejoice because you have rescued me, I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.’
The word ‘But’ in Psalm 13:5 links to the previous verse and contrasts. Notice the resolve in Ps 13:5,6 ‘I have’, ‘I shall’, ‘I will’ of this last pair of verses is emphatic - I have trusted, I shall rejoice, I will rejoice. No matter how the enemy attacks or how difficult the wait - the choice is still David's to make (and ours). I have/I will - focusing not on the troubles or even the quality of his faith but on worshipping the Lord, rejoicing in our salvation and singing of his bountiful goodness.
When you are struggling and under attack you cannot trust your feelings - feelings take over. We get hazy, like a sea mist coming over to impede the true beauty and view.
This Psalm leads us to worship the Lord by proclaiming 3 great truths:
1] Ps 13:5 - Trust in his unfailing love. It is God’s Character before creation - unfailing love. When you feel under pressure/struggling - recite or sing this ‘I trust in God's unfailing love.’
2] God is a rescuer (v5) – rescued/saved - past tense. Worship our Saviour/rescuer. Another aspect of God's nature: Rescuer. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
3] God is good and he is generous (v6) I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me. NB the word ‘Bountiful.’
Sing it. The Lord gives more than we deserve or are capable of perceiving – bountiful. Worship our Lord for who he is, God incarnate, sinless one slain.
Imagine Jesus on the cross praying these first four verses to the Father for us. “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 & have sorrow in my heart all day?
Then we can say v5,v6 in response. Lord, 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.
