Heavenly Devotion: Psalm 13 – Despair to Praise

Psalm 13 – Despair to Praise

(written by Andrew Lim)                                       

“God, where are you? Are you not listening? Do you not hear my cry? 

Can’t you feel my struggles? Why are you silent?”

Have you ever been in a similar experience as King David?

God seems so distant and not responding. You feel God has abandoned you or He is hiding from you. You feel lonely and afraid. Psalm 13 is one of the experiences King David encountered. Out of his desperate heart came four times, “How long O LORD!” His enemy King Saul pursued to kill him. What would you do if you are in David’s situation?

When God seems distant, King David called out to God and trusted in His unfailing love and salvation. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

God knows your life from the end to the beginning just as He knew about King David. Trust in the promises of God! When King David looked up to God, his fears turned into faith in the midst of his problems. He knew he could trust God for his life. He knew God would come to his help. He knew God had not abandoned or forgotten him. He experienced God’s steadfast love and salvation. His sorrow turned into joy. His cries turned into songs in the night! 

Sorrow and weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning! Hallelujah! If God is for us, who can be against us? Come, let us rise from the pit of despair and sorrow. Let us soar like the eagles to greater heights of praise and worship to our faithful God. Amen!

Let’s Read Psalm 13

1 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.

Let’s Pray,

Faithful Father, You are ever compassionate and merciful to those who are in difficult times. You are always with us. You protect us. You provide for us. You heal us. 

We rejoice in your presence. We shout for joy and praise your Holy name. 

Thank you for being our Redeemer and Friend. 

Blessed be your beautiful name. Amen.