Psalms 13:1

How long? In the midst of his troubles, the psalmist breaks out into this human cry. It seems to him that his troubles will never come to an end. This is the natural cry of the Christian who has suffered for a long time without murmuring and finally comes to the place that in his humanity he feels he can endure the suffering no longer. It is under such circumstances that a man may anticipate experiencing the satisfaction that the psalmist expresses at the close of this psalm (vs. 5, 6).

Luther is reported to have said: “Hope despairs and yet despair hopes.” The first phase of the psalmist’s trouble is his feeling that God has forgotten him (see Ps. 42:9; 44:24). In the rush of speech he cries, “Can this go on forever?” The phrase “how long” occurs four times in vs. 1, 2, introducing four phases of the psalmist’s trouble. The second phase is his feeling that God has hidden His face from him (see Ps. 30:7). We can have no greater blessing than the light of God’s countenance; when it appears to be withdrawn, we sink in despair. Compare the second clause of the Aaronic blessing, Num. 6:25.