From Despair to Hope: Embracing Lament in Faith

Summary

### Summary

Good morning, everyone. Today, we delved into Psalm 13, a classic example of a lament psalm. Lament psalms are characterized by a cry for help, a plea to God, and often a shift in tone towards hope and praise. Psalm 13 begins with a profound sense of despair and accusation towards God, asking repeatedly, "How long, Lord?" This repetition, known as anaphora, emphasizes the psalmist's deep anguish and feeling of abandonment by God. The psalmist feels forgotten, isolated, and overwhelmed by his enemies, leading him to question God's presence and support.

Despite the initial tone of despair, the psalmist transitions to a plea for God's attention, asking God to "make my eyes shine," a metaphor for restoring life and hope. This plea is not just a request but a command, reflecting the psalmist's desperation and urgency. He argues that if God does not intervene, his enemies will triumph, which would reflect poorly on God's reputation. This argument is reminiscent of Moses' intercession for Israel, where he argued that God's reputation was at stake.

The turning point in the psalm comes in verse 5, where the focus shifts from the psalmist's circumstances to God's loving-kindness and salvation. This shift in perspective allows the psalmist to move from despair to praise, recognizing that God's intervention is the source of his hope and restoration. The psalmist's journey from lament to trust and praise serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of focusing on God's faithfulness rather than our circumstances.

In conclusion, Psalm 13 teaches us that it's okay to bring our complaints and accusations to God. He desires our honesty and wants us to turn to Him for help. By shifting our focus from our problems to God's character and promises, we can find hope and strength to endure even the most challenging situations. Jesus' promise to never leave us or forsake us, and His invitation to find rest in Him, offers us the ultimate assurance of God's unwavering presence and love.

### Key Takeaways

1. Honesty in Prayer: Psalm 13 encourages us to be honest with God about our feelings of despair and abandonment. God desires our transparency and is not offended by our complaints. This honesty can deepen our relationship with Him and lead us to a place of trust and hope. [41:11]

2. The Power of Perspective: The shift in Psalm 13 from focusing on personal anguish to God's loving-kindness and salvation highlights the transformative power of perspective. By turning our attention to God's faithfulness, we can move from despair to praise, finding strength in His promises. [54:37]

3. God's Reputation and Our Faith: The psalmist argues that God's reputation is tied to His intervention in our lives. This reflects a deep understanding that our faith and God's actions are interconnected. When we trust in God's deliverance, it not only strengthens our faith but also glorifies Him. [51:30]

4. The Importance of Lament: Lament is a vital part of our spiritual journey. It allows us to express our pain and seek God's help. One-third of the Psalms are laments, showing that it's a significant way to engage with God, especially in times of trouble. [01:01:57]

5. Jesus' Assurance: Jesus' promise to never leave us or forsake us, even in the darkest times, offers us profound hope. His invitation to find rest in Him reminds us that our ultimate security and peace come from His presence and love. [01:05:44]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[0:45] - Introduction to Psalm 13
[2:30] - Structure of Lament Psalms
[4:00] - The Despair in Psalm 13
[6:15] - The Repetition of "How Long?"
[8:00] - Feeling Forgotten by God
[10:30] - The Plea for God's Attention
[12:00] - The Argument for God's Intervention
[14:30] - The Turning Point in Verse 5
[16:00] - Shifting Focus to God's Faithfulness
[18:00] - The Power of Perspective
[20:00] - The Importance of Lament
[22:00] - Jesus' Assurance and Invitation
[24:00] - Conclusion and Prayer

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide: Psalm 13

#### Bible Reading
- Psalm 13: "How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 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? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, 'I have overcome him,' and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me."

#### Observation Questions
1. What emotions does the psalmist express at the beginning of Psalm 13? ([41:11])
2. How does the psalmist describe his relationship with God in the first few verses? ([42:11])
3. What specific requests does the psalmist make to God in verses 3-4? ([45:22])
4. How does the tone of the psalm change in verses 5-6, and what causes this shift? ([53:35])

#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does the psalmist repeatedly ask "How long, Lord?" and what does this repetition signify about his state of mind? ([41:41])
2. What does the psalmist mean by asking God to "make my eyes shine"? How does this request relate to his overall plea? ([45:52])
3. How does the psalmist's argument about God's reputation reflect his understanding of God's relationship with His people? ([51:30])
4. What is the significance of the psalmist's shift in focus from his circumstances to God's loving-kindness and salvation? ([54:37])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt forgotten or abandoned by God. How did you express your feelings to Him? ([41:11])
2. The psalmist commands God to pay attention and answer him. How can you incorporate this kind of bold honesty in your own prayers? ([45:22])
3. The psalmist shifts his focus from his problems to God's faithfulness. What practical steps can you take to shift your focus from your current struggles to God's promises? ([54:37])
4. How can you remind yourself of God's past faithfulness in your life when you are facing difficult circumstances? ([53:35])
5. Jesus promises to never leave us or forsake us. How does this assurance impact your daily life and your response to challenges? ([01:05:44])
6. The psalmist argues that God's reputation is tied to His intervention in our lives. How does your faith and trust in God reflect on His reputation to those around you? ([51:30])
7. Lament is an important part of our spiritual journey. How can you create space in your life to honestly lament and seek God's help? ([01:01:57])

Devotional

Day 1: Honesty in Prayer
Psalm 13 encourages us to be honest with God about our feelings of despair and abandonment. God desires our transparency and is not offended by our complaints. This honesty can deepen our relationship with Him and lead us to a place of trust and hope. The psalmist's repeated cry of "How long, Lord?" (Psalm 13:1) exemplifies the depth of his anguish and his willingness to bring his raw emotions before God. This kind of honesty in prayer is not only permissible but also necessary for a genuine relationship with God. It allows us to confront our pain and seek God's presence in our darkest moments. [41:11]

Psalm 62:8 (ESV): "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us."

Reflection: Think of a time when you felt abandoned or forgotten by God. How can you bring those feelings honestly before Him in prayer today?

Day 2: The Power of Perspective
The shift in Psalm 13 from focusing on personal anguish to God's loving-kindness and salvation highlights the transformative power of perspective. By turning our attention to God's faithfulness, we can move from despair to praise, finding strength in His promises. The psalmist's journey from lament to trust and praise serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of focusing on God's faithfulness rather than our circumstances. This shift in perspective is crucial for spiritual growth and resilience. [54:37]

Lamentations 3:21-23 (ESV): "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to shift your focus from your problems to God's faithfulness? How can you make this shift today?

Day 3: God's Reputation and Our Faith
The psalmist argues that God's reputation is tied to His intervention in our lives. This reflects a deep understanding that our faith and God's actions are interconnected. When we trust in God's deliverance, it not only strengthens our faith but also glorifies Him. The psalmist's plea for God to act is not just for his own sake but also for the sake of God's name. This perspective encourages us to see our struggles as opportunities for God to demonstrate His power and faithfulness. [51:30]

Isaiah 48:9-11 (ESV): "For my name's sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another."

Reflection: How can you view your current struggles as opportunities for God to demonstrate His faithfulness and glorify His name? What specific action can you take to trust Him more in this area?

Day 4: The Importance of Lament
Lament is a vital part of our spiritual journey. It allows us to express our pain and seek God's help. One-third of the Psalms are laments, showing that it's a significant way to engage with God, especially in times of trouble. Lamenting is not a sign of weak faith but rather a profound expression of trust in God's ability to hear and respond to our cries. It is a way to process our pain and find hope in God's promises. [01:01:57]

Habakkuk 1:2-4 (ESV): "O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you 'Violence!' and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to lament before God? How can you express your pain and seek His help today?

Day 5: Jesus' Assurance
Jesus' promise to never leave us or forsake us, even in the darkest times, offers us profound hope. His invitation to find rest in Him reminds us that our ultimate security and peace come from His presence and love. This assurance is a cornerstone of our faith, providing comfort and strength in times of trouble. By resting in Jesus' promises, we can navigate life's challenges with confidence and hope. [01:05:44]

Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV): "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Reflection: What burdens are you carrying today that you need to bring to Jesus? How can you practically find rest in His promises and presence?

Quotes

1. "But instead, to actually pay attention to it, to study it. Psalm 13 is just a typical lament Psalm. It follows the outline pretty closely. In fact, in a lot of textbooks, it's used as the textbook example. So, I'm going to read it and see if you can read it. And follow that outline, and we'll go through and look at the Psalm verse by verse, line by line." [39:36] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "He says, how long am I going to have sorrow in my heart, day after day? This is the way I'm living, God. Is this going to go on? And we might ask, you know, well, what is he going to do? Well, he does the only thing he can. He complains. He complains. And he accuses God. He says, it's your problem. You're creating this. You're ignoring me." [43:14] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "And so, when you remember the story of Jonathan fighting against the Philistines, and if they're fighting all day in solid, taking a vow, nobody eat anything all day. Nobody eat. And Jonathan, at the end of the day, he's tired. He's worn out. He's been fighting all day. He takes his spear and sticks it in a honeycomb, in a bee's nest, pulls out some honey and eats it, and it says, and his eyes started shining. His eyes brightened. Usually your translation will say something like that. His eyes brightened." [46:52] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "And the poet says, in essence, God, your reputation is tied up with my faith. If I go down, what are people going to think of you? You couldn't take care of me. They're going to know that my God wasn't strong enough to protect me, and that's the way the whole world back then would have thought. When one nation defeated another, it's because this nation's God was stronger than this nation's God." [51:30] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Peter's walking on the water, and he looks around, he sees the waves, he becomes afraid, he starts to sink, and he says, Lord, save me. What happens? Well, he's looking at the waves, and he starts to sink, and then for a split second, he looks away from the waves, looks at Jesus, and says, Lord, save me, and Jesus, reaches out his hand, pulls him out of the water, puts him in the boat. That's the of thing that happens here in the psalm." [55:08] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "It's okay to complain to God. It's okay. One third of the Psalms start out that way. God, why are you doing this? God would far more rather we be honest with him than pretend that things are okay. Unfortunately, you know, okay is where we live. Catherine Schultz says this in a wonderful TED talk on being wrong. She says, right now, right here and now, I can't think of anything I'm wrong about. And that's the way we live." [01:01:57] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Finally, the difference between the first and last lines of this psalm. How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? And I will sing to the Lord because he has restored me. I want to remind us of Jesus' words. Jesus said, I will never leave you or forsake you even to the end of the age. And we might add, beyond. The psalm poet says that if God doesn't make his eyes shine, he'll die. Unless God keeps him alive, nothing else can or will." [01:04:40] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Because for those who hope, in Jesus Christ, hope actually focuses on the final, eternal justice of God at the return of Christ, on the goodness of creation, and on the final salvation that lies beyond this life. This is the hope offered by Jesus, who says this to the psalmist, you know, when the psalmist is saying, I don't know what to do, Jesus says, come to me. All you who are weary and heavy laden, burdened down, and I'll give you rest, take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am meek. I'm humble of heart, and you'll find rest for your souls, because my burden is easy and my yoke is light." [01:07:19] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?