Till when, O Lord? It seems that David faced endless hardships in a certain stage in his life. This problem is entreating the Lord, and pleading Him to support him against his enemies. Some scholars think this psalm has not been written during David’s troubles with Saul, because these difficulties were before his falling into his abject iniquity. These scholars think the psalm was added during Absalom’s rebellion, when David ran away from his son’s face. The outer cloud of sorrow was only an unclear symbol of what weighed his soul down due to his sin. This was darker than the midnight dimness1. This concise psalm expresses David’s personal suffering. He recoded it as a strong and open-hearted cry springing from his afflicted deep soul, and be harbored in his Savior’s embrace, He who gets him out of bitterness to the life of joy and praisegiving. This psalm is a prayer that comprises all the properties of lamentation: it is a complaint, a begging, confidence, thanks-giving that are appropriate for every righteous person suffering from inward and outward affliction. William Plummer says “the flow of this psalm is natural and beautiful indeed. In verses 1 and 2, David cries out ‘How long, O Lord?’ and reiterates it four times. in verse 3 he begins seriously to ask for help. In verse 4 he entreats God and argues, which he usually does when speaking to God. Because he entreats God, e increases in faith. Because he has fait, he rejoices in the Lord. When he rejoices, he overflows joyfully in praises of thanksgiving” 2. The General Frame 1. How long, O Lord? 1-2 2. The Pledge 3-4 3. The Song of Victory 5 1- How long, O’ Lord? David the prophet began the psalm with a question, because he saw outwardly, that the enemies have been exalted, whereas his soul inside him was sorrowful indeed. But God was up there watching in silence. David repeats in verses 1 and 2 ‘How long...?’four times to emphasize his depression and his fear. Some think the four times repetition show that the psalmist cries out not in his own, personal name, but rather on behalf of the entire nation that fell as prisoners of war four times; the Babylonian imprisonment, the Persian or Medianites, the Greek one and the Roman imprisonment. Thus this psalm is counted a collective dirge and a historical prophecy. The psalmist may also have repeated these words four times to declare that wherever he goes, be it towards the east or west, the north or the south, he will find no rest because the Lord has turned His face away from him. Not every repetition is prayer in rejected, but the false repetition is the one to be rejected. “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will you hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?” (Ps. 13: 1, 2) 1 Plumer, p. 183. 2 Ibid 187. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 19 David could find no rest for himself in all the earth. This is not due to his son’s rebelling, but it was due to his sin that made God turn His face away from him. the manifestations in His holy sepulcher, in the assembly tent that referred to the Holy One who dwells amidst His sanctified people. There is nothing that rejoices the heart, and enlightens the inward vision as much as the presence of God that grants the believers, for He is the life of the soul and its light. There is no more fearful darkness than that which springs up from the feeling that God hides His face from man. Job’s peak of affliction was when he said (Job 23: 3, 8, 9) “Oh, that I knew where to find Him, that I might come to His seat…Look I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him. When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him, when He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him”. “How log will you hide your face from me?” Because God does not forget, therefore He does not hide His face. But the Holy Book speaks in our human language and so the Book says God hides His face away from us. this is when He does not declare His knowledge of Himself to the soul that has not been purified in its thoughts to a sufficient degree. St. Augustine What David spoke of implies the prophecy of the Lord Jesus who cries out on behalf of mankind, for He has carried the weight of man’s sins. He therefore says to the Father, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” May we all be like Him in His modesty, and His crying out in faith, entreating the Father to turn His face towards us. Man sometimes feels in moments of spiritual coolness as if God has deserted him, or has turned His face away from him. It is s if iniquity, man’s enemy, has been exalted over him, and desires his eternal perishing. At that moment man finds no other refuge other than God his Savior. Man cries out to Him so He shines in his splendor and turns His face to man’s inward soul. In time of bitterness man feels as if God has left him for a long time. But when man returns to meet God through His mercies so great it is then that man realizes the divine words (Is. 54: 7). “For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you”. 2- Entreating “Enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death” (Ps. 13: 3, 4). David the prophet felt his need for God who has turned His face away from him because of David’s sin. He wanted God to once more turn His face towards him, and o enlighten his inward man with His divine light, so David would not continue in his iniquity, and so he would not die or sleep with those who died in their sins. The psalmist’s cry ‘How long O’ Lord?’ does not spring from despair, rather, from an afflicted soul that knows how to change the complaint into prayer. In faith, it turns to God asking to be enlightened with the brilliance of His face. In love, it turns to Him, pleading ‘Look…answer…enlighten’. He alone, is the One able to reach our depths, and look into our very core, answering the secret sighs of our hearts, and shines on our nature that has become darkened. To draw closer to the true light, I mean to Christ we praise Him in the psalms saying “enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death”. The death of the soul is the real death, and it is not the physical death. Real death is when we fall short of the true and https://coptic-treasures.com/ 20 straight edification and when we choose falsehood instead of truth. Therefore we have to be well-girdled, and our lanterns lit brightly as we have been told1. St. Cyril the Great When man shuts his eyes to mercy, he sleeps in the pleasure of physical passions2. Father Caesarius, Bishop of Arl When our Christ shines in us, with His Holy Spirit He gives us the enlightened vision. We thus obtain new understanding of God’s love, His fatherhood, and His work of salvation. We also come to realize Christ’s mystery that comprises the nations and countries coming to Him as members of His sanctified body. They are filled with His fiery Spirit that no waters could put out in our inward self. He also grants us the open eye that is able to witness the heavenly glories. The Lord also grants us a new vision of humility at large, a vision filled with love that is shed in love and sacrifice for the sake of everyone.With this enlightenment, there is no place for darkness in the soul, or in the body or mind or heart…etc. Rather, all what is inside us is enlightened by the Lord. “Lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed against him"; lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved” (Ps. 13: 4). In this way David the prophet presented a short prayer that spring from his need, yet it is a powerful prayer. He asks God to shine on him with His light. The fathers of the church advised us to keep saying short prayers continually. These are called the ‘prayers of arrows’ because they are short as arrows against Satan. Who is this enemy that the psalmist fears he would over-power him and put him to shame? He is the devil or iniquity. The chanter fears the scorn of his enemies, who thrill over him if he is moved in his faith. The devil is exceedingly pleased with this success even if its for a little while. God is amazing indeed when He often permits His people to fall for a while under violence or despotism of spouses or parents or leaders or employees. It was necessary for Daniel and his pious friends to live under the pressure of Caldean rulers who had their own pleasures. Abigail also lived with a husband who was Baal’s son, and no one was able to utter a word in his presence. This is the school to which the saints go, for their won good and to obtain glory; because the intolerable hardships only lead us to blessings and victory3. 3- The Song of Vicotry David’s confidence and his faith in God have changed his affliction to a joyful song of praise. His suffering was changed to salvation, and this is why he says: “My heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me”. Stuhimueller says, “It is hard to search for the cause of this sudden change. has the psalmist so quickly recovered? It is quite possible that the psalm was written during long nights of wakefulness and bitter pain and desperate prayers and cruel recollections. All of this developed gradually for peace to spring up. Even at death, man’s wrath or his depression is changed to inward peace and sure love”. 1 Comm.. on Luke, hom. 92. 2 Sermon 137: 3. 3 Plumer, p. 188. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 21 The psalm began with sighs, and was concluded with praise. As the bride says, “because winter pas passed, and rainfall is no more, and because the earth began to blossom the fruitful time has come, and the voice of the dove has been heard in our land” (Song of Sol. 2: 11, 12). Sirach says (Sir. 2: 11) “Look, you people, and know well, there is no one who relied on God and was disappointed”. Prayer Lord, change bitterness of my soul to prayer! Look to my depths, and answer all the sighs of my heart, and may you enlighten my vision. When I see You, I will know You, and I will love You, and be united with You, and share You Your glories! Enlighten the eyes of my heart with Your light, and thus no darkness will have place in my depths. Lead me in the school of affliction so I enjoy the sharing of Your cross, and be blessed with the power of Your resurrection. Carry me in midst of the valley of tears, and so my heart rejoices in Your salvation, and my mouth be opened with Your praise.
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