V1-2 – David is in despair. He feels that the Lord has forgotten him and He is feeling distant from God. David feels weak and that his enemy has the upper hand and will therefore crush him. David is asking why. He wants to know why things seem the way they do.
At different points in our lives, our hearts many feel this way. We may feel as though God has shut his eye or has looked away from us. But the question is… has He? The Lord does not sleep nor does his slumber:
Psalm 121:4 NLT
He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.
David is therefore in a moment of prayer and we can assume that this is how He begins his prayer or supplication to God. He is asking for help from the Lord. He feels weak that He cannot make it against his enemies on his own.
There are many times when I personally feel that I am slipping away. That I am falling back and my enemies, especially my “self” is getting stronger and wants to lead the way. The Lord always needs to be at the center of my life, driving all my decision making but many times, I feel my flesh wanting to take over.
At these points, I usually feel like crying out to the Lord: “Help me, so that I don’t lose the way! Help me to stay on the straight and narrow path! Help me not to doubt you because I know you are faithful! Be enthroned in my heart Oh God!“
My heart cries out to God because He is the only one who can help me. And so, I cry out to the God, my Father who can strengthen me and make me win
V3-4 – David now asks the LORD to fight for him. That the Lord will not let his enemies win over him. He asks that God will not let enemies laugh, gloat and mock him.
As a believer, who are your enemies? Who are those constantly pursuing your downfall? I like how this blog Three Enemies of the Christian Life (biblehelpsinc.org) explains it. Quoting directly from the blog: “The Christian life is indeed a warfare.” “The Christian faces three bitter enemies—1. The Outer Enemy—the World, 2. The Inner Foe—the Flesh, and 3. The Stubborn Adversary—Satan. All three enemies exert their powerful influence in order to bring us down to defeat.”
I find Psalm 13 to be so appropriate to use in my prayer against these three very powerful enemies. I cry: “Lord, don’t let the world, my flesh and our adversary, the devil overcome me. Don’t let them overcome your people. “
In verse 3, David is asking God to enlighten him. The Common English Bible puts it this way:
Psalm 13:3 Common English Bible
Look at me! Answer me, LORD my God! Restore sight to my eyes! Otherwise, I’ll sleep the sleep of death.
David asks the Lord to give sight to his eyes lest He die. For the believer, the sleep of death is that slippery slope of laziness where we fail to seek the Lord, obey his commands and eventually fall back into a place where the Lord is not the center of our lives. That is a dangerous path and it sure is not the “straight and narrow.”
And so how does the Lord give light to our eyes? Through the holy spirit, the Lord gives us light through his Word (the Bible) when we are in communion with him. And so when we come into his presence, we are reminded of a number of things:
First, the Lord reminds us that He who is within us (the Holy Spirit) is greater than He who is in the world. The Lord also reminds us that those who are with us are much more than any adversary. He also reminds that it is He who works in us for his good pleasure. He also reminds us that we have victory in Christ Jesus. And He reminds us that it is He who is able to keep us. Ponder on these verses:
- I John 4:4 ESV – Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
- 2 kings 6: 15 -17 BSB – When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early in the morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?” “Do not be afraid,” Elisha answered, “for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha
- Philippians 2:13 NLT – For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
- 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 NLT – But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Jude 1:24-25 NASB – Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Second, the Lord warns us against drifting away. He exhorts to keep our eyes on the things of above. He reminds us to keep obeying Him. Look at what His word says:
- Hebrews 2:1 NIV – We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
- Colossians 3:2-4 NIV – Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
- John 14: 15-17 GNT – If you love me, you will obey my commandments. I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. He is the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is in you.
And third, the Lord gives light to our eyes by reminding us of the reward that awaits those who overcome. There are seven of these promises in the book of Revelation:
- Revelation 2:7 – You will eat from the tree of life.
- Revelation 2:11 – You will not be hurt by the second death
- Revelation 2:17 – You will get some of the hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name
- Revelation 2:26-28 – You will get power over the nations, a rod of iron, and the morning star
- Revelation 3:5 – You will be clothed in white garments and your name will be in the Book of Life
- Revelation 3:12 – You will be a pillar in the temple of My God
- Revelation 3:21 – You Sit with Jesus on His Throne
Read more about these great promises for those who overcome at this blog: To him who overcomes: 7 extraordinary promises for overcomers (activechristianity.org)
V5-6 – After pondering on God’s goodness and his word, when in communion with the Lord, David’s heart is now enlightened and He rejoices and sings in the Lord. He rests in God’s embracing arms and gets comfort and reassurance from Him.
I pray the same for you and I.