During 2025, Peachtree Church is focusing on the Book of Psalms with a series called Dwell, through which we seek to deepen our conversation with God and open ourselves to hearing his response. The practice of praying three times each day will unite the voices of our hearts and souls as we seek the day when we will see the full realization of the Kingdom of God, promised in Revelation 21:3: “…Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
We will email devotionals twice weekly with Monday’s providing an overview of the Psalm as a whole, and Wednesday’s focused on that week’s Daily Dwell.
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
Psalm 13
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.
I sometimes joke that God’s timing is always perfect, but never early. There are times in life when it feels like we’re stuck in a never-ending season of waiting. We may be waiting for something to change in our career, in a relationship, or perhaps in our physical condition. It could be that we’re grieving a loss or dealing with a deep ache in our souls. These moments don’t feel like a joking matter. I know I’ve had seasons in my life where grief and sadness seemed to linger for months—where it felt like I was walking in a fog, and nothing could bring joy. In those times, we wonder, “How long, Lord?” When will this season pass, and when can I feel truly alive again?
In Psalm 13, David asks, “How long will you hide your face from me?” This resonates deeply with what has been called “The Dark Night of the Soul”—a prolonged period of feeling spiritually disconnected and empty. These times can be excruciating and, at times, can even lead to a crisis of faith. But the good news is that this is a normal part of our journey with God. In fact, it often precedes a time of spiritual growth.
A mentor once told me that we grow the most when we meet God in undefended vulnerability. This is the posture we see in David’s words in Psalm 13. He approaches God in complete honesty, and that’s exactly what God wants from us. He wants our prayers to be raw and vulnerable, not polished performances. When we’re tired, sad, or exhausted from wrestling with our thoughts, we can approach God in prayer with our true emotions—knowing that He is not far off, but is present with us, even in the darkness.
For Reflection
- Can you remember a time when it felt like your waiting would never end?
- Have you ever felt that God was hiding his face from you?
- Have you shared these feeling with someone whom you trust?
- Have you shared them honestly with God in prayer?
Prayer
Lord, we thank you for these words of David that provide an example of how to approach you in times of darkness. Our lives are a mix of joy and sorrow, but you are present in all. So, Lord, we ask you to help us in our weakness, hear our cries and bring us out of the dark and into the light. No matter what we are facing this week we trust in your goodness. Remind us of your unfailing love and the hope that we have in Christ on this day. Amen.
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Devotionals