Psalms 13 (ASV)

Chapter Text

13:1 How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou forget me for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

13:2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

13:3 Consider [and] answer me, O Jehovah my God: Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the [sleep of] death;

13:4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; [Lest] mine adversaries rejoice when I am moved.

13:5 But I have trusted in thy lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

13:6 I will sing unto Jehovah, Because he hath dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 14 For the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of David.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "light", "long", "jehovah", "wilt", "thou", "forget", and "ever". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "light" and "long", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The local ASV text gives this verse as the immediate unit, so "light" and "long" carries the first interpretive weight. In The LORD as Shepherd, the local focus is trust, covenant mercy, guidance, and worship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "light" and "long" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.