Psalms 13:1-6 Chapter 13 1 How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou forget me for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 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? 3 Consider `and' answer me, O Jehovah my God: Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the `sleep of' death; 4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; `Lest' mine adversaries rejoice when I am moved. 5 But I have trusted in thy lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. 6 I will sing unto Jehovah, Because he hath dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 14 For the Chief Musician. `A Psalm' of David.

Which is more influential in your life—circumstances or your perspective? Although we may long for a pleasant life filled with abundance, comfort, and good experiences, the reality is that we live in a fallen world. Almost nothing is as it should be, but the way we perceive life’s hardships and burdens depends largely on our perspective.

For example, when we are overburdened, the world might look dark even when the sun is shining. The birds may be singing, but all we hear are the sorrowful cries of our own heart. The burdens seem so overwhelming that we may even distance ourselves from others, yet that only encourages us to dwell even more on our problems and leads us further into despair.

But when we open the book of Psalms, the words penetrate our bleak circumstances, inviting us to draw near and find rest in the Lord. How gracious of Him to give us this amazing book of comfort. But greater still are the lessons we learn from it.

In today’s psalm, David is weighed down with burdens. He asks, “How long?” Have you ever felt like that? He describes his troubles and pleads for an answer, but by the end of the psalm, his perspective shifts when he remembers that God is trustworthy.

If you feel as if you’re bearing the weight of the world on your shoulders, stop and look up to your heavenly Father. Remember a time in the past when God carried you through hard circumstances, and rejoice in His steadfast faithfulness. He didn’t fail you then, and He will not fail you now.

Bible in One Year: Psalms 39-43 Chapter 39 1 I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me. 2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; And my sorrow was stirred. 3 My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned: `Then' spake I with my tongue: 4 Jehovah, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; Let me know how frail I am. 5 Behold, thou hast made my days `as' handbreadths; And my life-time is as nothing before thee: Surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Selah 6 Surely every man walketh in a vain show; Surely they are disquieted in vain: He heapeth up `riches', and knoweth not who shall gather them. 7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee. 8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: Make me not the reproach of the foolish. 9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; Because thou didst it. 10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thy hand. 11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: Surely every man is vanity. Selah 12 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, and give ear unto my cry; Hold not thy peace at my tears: For I am a stranger with thee, A sojourner, as all my fathers were. 13 Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, Before I go hence, and be no more. Psalm 40 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Chapter 40 1 I waited patiently for Jehovah; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay; And he set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, And shall trust in Jehovah. 4 Blessed is the man that maketh Jehovah his trust, And respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. 5 Many, O Jehovah my God, are the wonderful works which thou hast done, And thy thoughts which are to us-ward; They cannot be set in order unto thee; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered. 6 Sacrifice and offering thou hast no delight in; Mine ears hast thou opened: Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required. 7 Then said I, Lo, I am come; In the roll of the book it is written of me: 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God; Yea, thy law is within my heart. 9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great assembly; Lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Jehovah, thou knowest. 10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation; I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great assembly. 11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Jehovah; Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. 12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about; Mine iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; And my heart hath failed me. 13 Be pleased, O Jehovah, to deliver me: Make haste to help me, O Jehovah. 14 Let them be put to shame and confounded together That seek after my soul to destroy it: Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor That delight in my hurt. 15 Let them be desolate by reason of their shame That say unto me, Aha, aha. 16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: Let such as love thy salvation say continually, Jehovah be magnified. 17 But I am poor and needy; `Yet' the Lord thinketh upon me: Thou art my help and my deliverer; Make no tarrying, O my God. Psalm 41 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Chapter 41 1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil. 2 Jehovah will preserve him, and keep him alive, And he shall be blessed upon the earth; And deliver not thou him unto the will of his enemies. 3 Jehovah will support him upon the couch of languishing: Thou makest all his bed in his sickness. 4 I said, O Jehovah, have mercy upon me: Heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee. 5 Mine enemies speak evil against me, `saying', When will he die, and his name perish? 6 And if he come to see `me', he speaketh falsehood; His heart gathereth iniquity to itself: When he goeth abroad, he telleth it. 7 All that hate me whisper together against me; Against me do they devise my hurt. 8 An evil disease, `say they', cleaveth fast unto him; And now that he lieth he shall rise up no more. 9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, Who did eat of my bread, Hath lifted up his heel against me. 10 But thou, O Jehovah, have mercy upon me, and raise me up, That I may requite them. 11 By this I know that thou delightest in me, Because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. 12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, And settest me before thy face for ever. 13 Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, From everlasting and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen. Psalm 42 For the Chief Musician. Maschil of the sons of Korah. Chapter 42 1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, So panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? 4 These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, How I went with the throng, and led them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holyday. 5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And `why' art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him `For' the help of his countenance. 6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me: Therefore do I remember thee from the land of the Jordan, And the Hermons, from the hill Mizar. 7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterfalls: All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. 8 `Yet' Jehovah will command his lovingkindness in the day-time; And in the night his song shall be with me, `Even' a prayer unto the God of my life. 9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 10 As with a sword in my bones, mine adversaries reproach me, While they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? 11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, `Who is' the help of my countenance, and my God. Chapter 43 1 Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: Oh deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man. 2 For thou art the God of my strength; why hast thou cast me off? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 3 Oh send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me: Let them bring me unto thy holy hill, And to thy tabernacles. 4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, Unto God my exceeding joy; And upon the harp will I praise thee, O God, my God. 5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, `Who is' the help of my countenance, and my God. Psalm 44 For the Chief Musician. `A Psalm' of the sons of Korah. Maschil.