When Heaven is Silent
When Life turns Dark
Psalm 11-15
“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will You hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13).
Where do we find comfort when heaven is silence and God seems absent? Where is God when he not only ignores our struggles, but in fact seems to be deliberately ignoring our plight?
The Psalms were more than just a diary of a person’s thoughts about God. They are highly composed works of literature that formed the songbook of Israel’s worship. As works of literature, several different literary forms and structures were used to create the structure of the psalms. One of the structures used is commonly referred to as the Psalms of Lament. These psalms either conveyed the lament of the individual or the lament of the whole community—Psalm 13 is one such Psalm. Written by David during a time of struggle and adversity, the Psalm conveys his frustration that God seems silent.
The Lament: The Psalm begins with a cry for deliverance. In times of intense trouble and struggle, we often feel that God does not just forget us, but that he is actively hiding from us. It is one thing to find comfort and peace when we can see the purpose and activity of God. But where do we turn when heaven seems to have abandoned us and God seeks to be deliberately hiding from us (vs 1)? This is the lament of David, that God is ignoring him in his time of need. In verse 2, we further see his frustration that he is left to his own thoughts and his own wisdom. When we are facing difficulties in our lives, our mind goes into hyperdrive. The struggle we are facing captures our thoughts so that we can think of nothing else. When we try to look beyond the present, all we see are the problems going on endlessly. Such was the lament of David in verse 2.
The Petition: In the Psalms of Lament, the psalmist’s faith does not leave him hopeless. Even though his struggle seems endless, and God seems to be ignoring him, he still recognizes that God is his only hope. In verse 3, we see the petition for God to be favorable and to intervene on his behalf. His faith still leads him back to the sanctuary of God. For those who have faith in God, even though it seems that God has abandoned us, we still recognize that he is our only hope.
The Motivation and Petition: Having turned to God for help, the next portion of the lament is the basis for why God must act. The reason God must act is that without God’s response, the enemies will boast of their victory, which, in the culture of polytheism (i.e., the belief in many localized gods), meant that their god was more powerful than David’s. This would not only result in the death of David, but also dishonor the character of God. Therefore, David prays that God will respond. Even as David struggled in his faith, he still recognized that there was no one else to turn to.
The Confession of Trust: In the Psalms of Lament, the writers not only convey their questions, but they also express their trust in God in a remarkable expression of faith. This we see in verse 5. While suffering tests our faith, it also strengthens our faith. Faith strengthens because it forces us to trust in God even when we cannot understand God’s activity. James affirms the transformative nature of suffering when he affirms that trials further solidify our faith as we learn to trust unwaveringly in God (James 1:2-4).
The Vow of Praise: The final aspect of the Psalms of Lament is the affirmation of the psalmist’s commitment to praise. It is essential to recognize that the circumstance has not changed, but the perspective of David has. As he looks to God and reaffirms his faith, he can now see the end. Even though the circumstances have not changed, his confidence in the work of God and the future deliverance of God has.
This Psalm reminds us that when we are going through adversity, our greatest need is not a change of circumstances, but a shift in perspective. Instead of focusing on the crisis, we need to focus on the God of the universe and recognize that he will deliver us. When our focus shifts from our struggles to the God of the universe, then we can have confident in the present. When life turns dark, God’s character gives us the light we need. If you are going through trials, turn to God for deliverance, but also need to start praising Him for the deliverance he will bring.
Psalm 11-15
“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will You hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13).
Where do we find comfort when heaven is silence and God seems absent? Where is God when he not only ignores our struggles, but in fact seems to be deliberately ignoring our plight?
The Psalms were more than just a diary of a person’s thoughts about God. They are highly composed works of literature that formed the songbook of Israel’s worship. As works of literature, several different literary forms and structures were used to create the structure of the psalms. One of the structures used is commonly referred to as the Psalms of Lament. These psalms either conveyed the lament of the individual or the lament of the whole community—Psalm 13 is one such Psalm. Written by David during a time of struggle and adversity, the Psalm conveys his frustration that God seems silent.
The Lament: The Psalm begins with a cry for deliverance. In times of intense trouble and struggle, we often feel that God does not just forget us, but that he is actively hiding from us. It is one thing to find comfort and peace when we can see the purpose and activity of God. But where do we turn when heaven seems to have abandoned us and God seeks to be deliberately hiding from us (vs 1)? This is the lament of David, that God is ignoring him in his time of need. In verse 2, we further see his frustration that he is left to his own thoughts and his own wisdom. When we are facing difficulties in our lives, our mind goes into hyperdrive. The struggle we are facing captures our thoughts so that we can think of nothing else. When we try to look beyond the present, all we see are the problems going on endlessly. Such was the lament of David in verse 2.
The Petition: In the Psalms of Lament, the psalmist’s faith does not leave him hopeless. Even though his struggle seems endless, and God seems to be ignoring him, he still recognizes that God is his only hope. In verse 3, we see the petition for God to be favorable and to intervene on his behalf. His faith still leads him back to the sanctuary of God. For those who have faith in God, even though it seems that God has abandoned us, we still recognize that he is our only hope.
The Motivation and Petition: Having turned to God for help, the next portion of the lament is the basis for why God must act. The reason God must act is that without God’s response, the enemies will boast of their victory, which, in the culture of polytheism (i.e., the belief in many localized gods), meant that their god was more powerful than David’s. This would not only result in the death of David, but also dishonor the character of God. Therefore, David prays that God will respond. Even as David struggled in his faith, he still recognized that there was no one else to turn to.
The Confession of Trust: In the Psalms of Lament, the writers not only convey their questions, but they also express their trust in God in a remarkable expression of faith. This we see in verse 5. While suffering tests our faith, it also strengthens our faith. Faith strengthens because it forces us to trust in God even when we cannot understand God’s activity. James affirms the transformative nature of suffering when he affirms that trials further solidify our faith as we learn to trust unwaveringly in God (James 1:2-4).
The Vow of Praise: The final aspect of the Psalms of Lament is the affirmation of the psalmist’s commitment to praise. It is essential to recognize that the circumstance has not changed, but the perspective of David has. As he looks to God and reaffirms his faith, he can now see the end. Even though the circumstances have not changed, his confidence in the work of God and the future deliverance of God has.
This Psalm reminds us that when we are going through adversity, our greatest need is not a change of circumstances, but a shift in perspective. Instead of focusing on the crisis, we need to focus on the God of the universe and recognize that he will deliver us. When our focus shifts from our struggles to the God of the universe, then we can have confident in the present. When life turns dark, God’s character gives us the light we need. If you are going through trials, turn to God for deliverance, but also need to start praising Him for the deliverance he will bring.
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