Sigh of Despair, Song of Triumph

This morning I want to look at Psalm 13. This is one of those famous psalms where David pours out his heart in raw, undiluted honesty. What we have here is total transparency—an expression of pain, and frustration, and discouragement, and profound distress. David is on the verge of utter emotional defeat. People in these postmodern times like to talk about "authenticity." This is unvarnished authenticity of the best kind—a man pouring out his heart to God—expressing his complaints and his despondency without ever once expressing any note of unbelief or sinful resentment.

Spurgeon said of this psalm that it is "intended to express the feelings of the people of God in [the midst of relentless] trials." He said if you have never had occasion to express the feelings David gives vent to here, you will do so before long. As usual, I agree with Spurgeon: If you desire to be a man or a woman after God's own heart like David—someone thoroughly conformed to the image of Christ—then the Spirit of God will in time explore and sanctify...

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