King James Version
Psalms 13
6 verses with commentary
How Long, O Lord?
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? chief: or, overseer
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?</strong> This opening verse immediately plunges into anguished lament, characterized by the repeated question "How long?" (<em>ad-anah</em>, עַד־אָנָה)—asked four times in verses 1-2. This is the cry of faith stretched thin but not broken. David does not question whether God exists but why He seems ab...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(1) **How long? . . .** **for ever?**—Comp. Psalm 74:10; Psalm 79:5; Psalm 89:46. The double question in the Authorised Version is unnecessary, though, as M. Renan (*Les Langues Sémitiques, *2 § 4) explains, it shows how ill writing the poet has begun on one plan, and finished on another. (Comp. Psalm 9:3.) Translate, “How long wilt thou continue to forget me?”
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 13
The psalmist complains that God had long withdrawn. He earnestly prays for comfort. He assures himself of an answer of peace.
--God sometimes hides his face, and leaves his own children in the dark concerning their interest in him: and this they lay to heart more than any outward trouble whatever. But anxious cares are heavy burdens with which believers often load themselves more ...
Read full commentary →How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?</strong> Verse 2 continues the fourfold "How long?" with attention shifting from God's apparent abandonment (v.1) to the sufferer's internal turmoil and external threat. The structure moves from theological complaint (God's hiddenness) to psychological suffering (mental ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) **Take counsel.**—Literally, *put plans unto my soul. *The plans (LXX., βουλὰς) formed in the mind turn to sorrows as they are frustrated. It is, however, so doubtful whether *nephesh *can stand for the *mind, *that it is better to render, *how long shall I form plans against my soul *(having) *sorrow in my heart all the day? *The next verse confirms the suspicion that suicide had been in the ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 31
Job 31:1-40.
1. Job proceeds to prove that he deserved a better lot. As in the twenty-ninth chapter, he showed his uprightness as an emir, or magistrate in public life, so in this chapter he vindicates his character in private life.
1-4. He asserts his guarding against being allured to sin by his senses.
**think--**rather, "cast a (lustful) look." He not merely did not so, but ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 13
The psalmist complains that God had long withdrawn. He earnestly prays for comfort. He assures himself of an answer of peace.
--God sometimes hides his face, and leaves his own children in the dark concerning their interest in him: and this they lay to heart more than any outward trouble whatever. But anxious cares are heavy burdens with which believers often load themselves more ...
Read full commentary →Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.</strong> At verse 3, the psalm pivots from lament to petition. Having expressed complaint ("How long?" four times), David now makes specific requests. The imperative verbs signal movement from describing the problem to asking for divine intervention. The shift demonstrates the proper function of lament...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **Lighten.**—Literally, *give light to my eyes that I may not go to sleep in death, i.e., *go to sleep and never wake; “sleep unto death,” as the LXX. (Comp. for the nature of the fear, Psalm 6:5; and for the form of expression, 1Samuel 14:27; 1Samuel 14:29.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 31
Job 31:1-40.
1. Job proceeds to prove that he deserved a better lot. As in the twenty-ninth chapter, he showed his uprightness as an emir, or magistrate in public life, so in this chapter he vindicates his character in private life.
1-4. He asserts his guarding against being allured to sin by his senses.
**think--**rather, "cast a (lustful) look." He not merely did not so, but ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 13
The psalmist complains that God had long withdrawn. He earnestly prays for comfort. He assures himself of an answer of peace.
--God sometimes hides his face, and leaves his own children in the dark concerning their interest in him: and this they lay to heart more than any outward trouble whatever. But anxious cares are heavy burdens with which believers often load themselves more ...
Read full commentary →Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
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KJV Study Commentary
David fears two outcomes if he falls: his enemy will say 'I have prevailed,' and his foes will rejoice. This reveals proper concern for God's glory—David's defeat would give God's enemies occasion to boast. The Hebrew 'yakol' (prevail) suggests overpowering strength. This anticipates Christ's concern that His Father's name be glorified even in suffering (John 12:28). Reformed theology sees our vin...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 31
Job 31:1-40.
1. Job proceeds to prove that he deserved a better lot. As in the twenty-ninth chapter, he showed his uprightness as an emir, or magistrate in public life, so in this chapter he vindicates his character in private life.
1-4. He asserts his guarding against being allured to sin by his senses.
**think--**rather, "cast a (lustful) look." He not merely did not so, but ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 13
The psalmist complains that God had long withdrawn. He earnestly prays for comfort. He assures himself of an answer of peace.
--God sometimes hides his face, and leaves his own children in the dark concerning their interest in him: and this they lay to heart more than any outward trouble whatever. But anxious cares are heavy burdens with which believers often load themselves more ...
Read full commentary →But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.</strong> Verse 5 marks the psalm's dramatic turning point. The fourfold "How long?" of complaint (v.1-2) and the urgent petition (v.3-4) suddenly yield to confident assertion. This is not gradual progression but abrupt shift characteristic of lament psalms—the "but" (<em>va'ani</em>, וַאֲנִי) signals stark contrast b...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **But I.**—Emphatic, *but as for me. *The most complete peace has taken the place of the despair with which the psalm opens. The rhythm of the Hebrew seems to express the restfulness of the thought. “It hath a dying fall.” The LXX. and Vulg. (comp. the Prayer Book version) have an additional clause not found in any MS., “Yea, I will praise the name of the Lord most high.”
Ellicott's Commenta...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 31
Job 31:1-40.
1. Job proceeds to prove that he deserved a better lot. As in the twenty-ninth chapter, he showed his uprightness as an emir, or magistrate in public life, so in this chapter he vindicates his character in private life.
1-4. He asserts his guarding against being allured to sin by his senses.
**think--**rather, "cast a (lustful) look." He not merely did not so, but ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 13
The psalmist complains that God had long withdrawn. He earnestly prays for comfort. He assures himself of an answer of peace.
--God sometimes hides his face, and leaves his own children in the dark concerning their interest in him: and this they lay to heart more than any outward trouble whatever. But anxious cares are heavy burdens with which believers often load themselves more ...
Read full commentary →I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.</strong> The psalm concludes with vow of praise, moving from future confidence ("my heart shall rejoice," v.5) to committed action ("I will sing"). The progression is complete: lament → petition → trust → anticipated joy → committed praise. This demonstrates the psalm's purpose—not merely venting frustration but moving t...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
5. Job's abstinence from evil deeds.
**vanity--**that is, falsehood (Psa 12:2).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 13
The psalmist complains that God had long withdrawn. He earnestly prays for comfort. He assures himself of an answer of peace.
--God sometimes hides his face, and leaves his own children in the dark concerning their interest in him: and this they lay to heart more than any outward trouble whatever. But anxious cares are heavy burdens with which believers often load themselves more ...
Read full commentary →