Unto the end, a psalm for David. How long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me unto the end? how long dost thou turn away thy face from me?

“Whence comes his knowledge that God had forgotten him, does the text say? Since he knew also when he remembered him, and he was wise enough to know what forgetting meant and what remembering. Not like the majority of people, who, when they are wealthy, when they enjoy a good reputation with people, when everything goes favorably for them, when they better their foes, then think God remembers them. Hence neither do they understand when it is God forgets them. They do not recognize the sign of God's remembering, you see, nor do they grasp the sign of his forgetting.… Nothing, after all, brings remembrance by God so much as doing good, being sober and watchful, practicing virtue; likewise, nothing prompts forgetting so much as living in sin and giving oneself to greed and rapacity. So for your part, dearly beloved, when you are in trouble, do not say, "God has forgotten me," but when you are living in sin and everything is going favorably for you. After all, if you knew this, you would quickly abandon evil things.”

“"For Christ is the end of the law to every one that believes." [Romans 10:4] "How long, O Lord, will You forget me unto the end?" [Psalm 13:1] that is, put me off as to spiritually understanding Christ, who is the Wisdom of God, and the true end of all the aim of the soul. "How long will You turn away Your face from me?" As God does not forget, so neither does He turn His face away: but Scripture speaks after our manner. Now God is said to turn away His face, when He does not give to the soul, which as yet has not the pure eye of the mind, the knowledge of Himself.”

“Whosoever feareth sleepeth not, and if he sleepeth, he seeth in his dream the cause of his fear; he eateth not, and he drinketh not, and if the force of natural craving compel him, fear is mingled with his meat and drink. Everything which attacketh the man who is filled with the fear of God abideth outside him, for fear keepeth fast hold upon the place of his understanding, and upon all the places of ingoing and outgoing of the city of his soul. Like the watchmen who stand by the gates of the city, even so doth fear keep fast hold upon the places of ingoing and outgoing of the soul, and it permitteth no act or thought to enter in or to go forth which it examineth not; for it neither permitteth any internal thought whatsoever to go forth, nor any external act that is not seemly to go in. And moreover this Prophet maketh known in other places the fear of God; "My flesh contracteth through fear of Thee, and I am afraid of Thy judgments." And again he saith, "I am like a wine skin in ice, but I have not forgotten Thy commandments." And again he saith, "Sorrow is in my heart all the day long. How long, O Lord, wilt thou turn Thy face from me? How long wilt Thou forget me, for ever? How long wilt Thou set trouble in my soul?" And again he saith, "Heal me, O Lord, for my bones tremble, and my soul is greatly moved. I am weary with my groaning; every night make I my bed to swim; and I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye hath become sick because of Thine anger"; now it is evident that all these things arose from [his] fear of God.”

“In the preceding Psalm the Psalmist set forth the wiles of his adversaries; here, against them, he seeks a remedy from God. As for the title, "Unto the end, a Psalm of David," this has been explained above. Now this Psalm is divided into three parts. In the first, a complaint is set forth; in the second, a petition, at the words "Look and hear me"; in the third, the hearing granted, at the words "But I have trusted in thy mercy." The complaint contains three things. He marvels at the divine dissembling, he confesses his own deficiency, he complains of the power of his adversaries; the second, at the word "how long" [quamdiu]; the third, at the word "how long shall my enemy be exalted." He who dissembles the injuries done to someone does so either because he does not remember him, or because he does not wish to apply a remedy; and therefore he says: Lord, I am burdened by adversaries, and you do not apply a remedy? "How long wilt thou forget me, unto the end" — that is, it seems that in the end you wish to avoid me. Isaiah 49: "Sion said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me." Habakkuk 1: "Why lookest thou not upon them that do unjust things, and holdest thy peace when the wicked devoureth those more just than himself?" "How long dost thou turn away thy face from me?" One turns away his face when he does not apply a remedy. Psalm 43: "Why turnest thou thy face away, forgettest our want and our trouble?" This according to the history of David, who was persecuted a long time by Saul. Allegorically it is said of the fathers of the Old Testament, who continually awaited Christ, and God, as though forgetful of them, delayed to apply the remedy; and they say, "How long, O Lord," and so on. "How long dost thou turn away thy face from me" — that is, the presence of your Son from us. Or, that it may be the complaint of the just of our own time concerning the delay of the second coming: "How long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me?" Will this be "unto the end," that is, until the day of judgment, or until death? And "how long dost thou turn away thy face from me," that is, the face of your glory, that I may see you face to face. Exodus 33: "Show me thy face." Psalm 79: "Show thy face, and we shall be saved." Yet many causes can also be assigned why the ancient fathers so greatly desired the coming of Christ in the flesh. The first is on account of the exaltation of human nature, in whose person it is said in Lamentations 1: "See, O Lord, that I am become vile"; but it was exalted through the Incarnation. Psalm 72: "With glory thou hast received me" — that is, I have been made glorious, just as a woman of low birth is raised up if she marries a noble man. Hence it is that every sin after the coming of the Savior is graver than it was before. Just as if a noblewoman or nobleman were to commit some disgraceful act, it is more shameful than if a peasant were to commit it. The second cause is that the captives might be freed from the prison of Hell, or Limbo: Job 17: "My bones shall descend into the deepest hell; will there at least be rest for me there, do you suppose?" As if to say: no; but through Christ we have been freed from it: Zechariah 9: "Thou also, by the blood of thy testament, hast brought forth the prisoner out of the pit, wherein there was no water." Third, on account of the casting down of the Devil: Psalm 88: "Thou hast humbled the proud one as one that is slain," that is, you diminished his power. Fourth, because through the coming of Christ God was made at peace with us; Ephesians 2: "The cornerstone, who made both one." Fifth, on account of the delight which they hoped to have with Christ, in seeing, hearing, and conversing with him: Matthew 13: "Blessed are the eyes that see the things which you see," and so on. The moderns, however, desire the second coming. First, because then we shall be exalted: Wisdom 3: "The saints shall judge nations, and rule over people." And again in the same, chapter 5: "They are numbered among the children of God." Second, because we shall be freed from all punishment: Isaiah 25: "The Lord will take away every tear from every face," that is, the cause of weeping, or punishment. Third, because we shall be freed from all sin: Isaiah 25: "The Lord will take away the reproach of his people from off the whole earth." Fourth, because then we shall be snatched away from the power of the Devil: Isaiah 11: "They shall not hurt nor kill in all my holy [place]." Fifth, because we shall be freed from the servitude of the body: Psalm 141: "Bring my soul out of prison": Romans 8: "The creature itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption." Sixth, because we shall see God face to face: 1 John 3: "We know that when he shall appear, we shall be like to him, because we shall see him as he is": Jeremiah 21: "All shall know me, from the least to the greatest." Or it can be the complaint of any just man weighed down by adversity, or by the corruption of sin and concupiscence. Here he confesses his own deficiency; and concerning this he does two things. First, he sets forth the anxiety of his heart. Second, the sorrow that follows; at the words, "sorrow in my heart daily." As to the first, the Philosopher says in the Rhetoric: "Fear makes men take counsel." The same is found in Isaiah 16: "Take counsel, gather a council." Thus a man, at times in adversity and temptation, takes counsel as to how he may resist; and therefore he says, "How long shall I take counsel in my soul" — that is, how long must I keep having new counsels to resist my enemies? Thus the fathers of the Old Testament had various counsels for prefiguring Christ. But when a man, in taking counsel, adopts one course, and yet fails in carrying it out, sorrow then follows; and therefore it is said: "How long, O Lord, shall I take counsel in my heart" — that is, daily, while I continually fail: Jeremiah 8: "My sorrow is above sorrow, my heart mourneth within me." Here he complains of the prosperity of the enemy, who shall be exalted — namely, of Saul over David, and of the enemy who leads one into consent to sin, and of the flesh, since they have their own concupiscences: Habakkuk 1: "Because of this the judgment does not come to an end, because the wicked prevaileth against the just." In the second part of this Psalm, prayer or petition is set forth. And first is set forth the petition corresponding to the divine dissembling. Second, to his own deficiency, at the words, "Enlighten my eyes," and so on. Third, to the prosperity of his enemies, at the words, "lest at any time he say," and so on. First, he speaks of the divine dissembling, of forgetting and turning away; as if to say, "Look upon me" — that is, turn back, you who turn away as though forgetful. "Now hear me"; Isaiah 64: "Look down, we are all thy people." Second, is set forth the petition corresponding to his own deficiency: one arising from his many counsels, and another from his sorrows. And therefore, because I have no counsels of my own, "enlighten my eyes, lest I ever sleep in death" — that is, teach me. Likewise Luke 1: "To enlighten those who are in darkness, etc.," and so on. This applies literally to David fleeing from the face of Saul, who had frequently to be on his guard, lest he should at some point fall into his hands and be slain. Likewise, as long as a man is watchful in resisting sin, he does not fall into death; but when he sleeps, he is slain. Thus in 2 Kings: when Ishbosheth was sleeping, and the maidservant was cleaning wheat, he was slain: Ephesians 5: "Rise, thou that sleepest." The petition against the adversary: "lest at any time my enemy say." And he sets forth two things. First, the petition. Second, its reason, at the words, "they that trouble me." "Enlighten me, lest at any time my enemy say," rejoicing: "I have prevailed against him." And the Devil rejoices when he tempts and draws one into sin. Likewise, "arise, O Lord, let not man prevail"; and of this sort is the reason for their rejoicing, that they will exult if I am moved, if I should abandon the state of righteousness and slip into sin: Ecclesiasticus 18: "Go not after thy lusts, but turn away from thy own will." "If thou give to thy soul her desires, she will make thee a joy to thy enemies": Daniel 9: "For thy own sake, O God, incline thy ear and hear; open thy eyes and see our desolation, and the city upon which thy name is invoked." Here the granting of the hearing of his prayer is signified; and concerning this he does three things. First, he sets forth his hope of being heard. Second, the joy at the hearing having been granted, at the words, "and my heart hath rejoiced." Third, he gives thanks, at the words, "I will sing." He says, then, "I have hoped in thy mercy" — not in the world: Lamentations 3: "The mercies of the Lord are many, for we are not consumed": not in my own power, because it is nothing against the Devil: Job 41: "There is no power upon earth that can be compared to him." And here he sets forth three things by which man is aided against the Devil: namely, by spiritual gladness, by devout prayer, and by good work. On account of the first he says, "my heart hath rejoiced in thy salvation" — not in temporal things or vanities, as sinners do, of whom Job 21 says: "They rejoice at the sound of the organ, and spend their days in wealth, and in a moment they go down to hell." Hosea 9: "Rejoice not, O Israel, exult not as other peoples" — but "in thy salvation," that is, in Christ, who came for this, that he might save us: Matthew 1: "For he shall save," and so on. And this gladness arms a man against the Devil: Proverbs 17: "A joyful mind maketh age flourishing; a sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones." The second is prayer, or the praise of God: hence he adds, "I will sing to the Lord" — that is, I will praise him: Psalm 21: "You that fear the Lord, praise him." For the praise of God avails much for overcoming the Devil: Matthew 17: "This kind of demon is not cast out but by prayer and fasting": Habakkuk 3: "But I will rejoice in the Lord, and I will joy in God my Jesus." And this on account of the benefits granted: and therefore it follows. "Who giveth good things to me" — that is, who bestows good things. James 1: "Every best gift," and so on. And he says "good things," because there are certain temporal goods which the Lord bestows: Matthew 15: "He delivered to them his goods, and to one he gave five talents," and so on. Likewise, spiritual goods, which are the goods of grace and the virtues: 1 Corinthians 12: "There are diversities of graces," and so on. "All these things one and the same Spirit worketh, dividing to every one according as he will"; Job 2: "If we have received good things at the hand of the Lord," and so on. Likewise the goods of glory: Psalm 26: "I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living." All these good things the Lord bestows; and therefore he is deservedly to be praised: Ecclesiasticus, last chapter: "To him that giveth me wisdom, I will give glory." The third is a good work, concerning which he adds, "I will sing" — that is, I will work. To sing psalms [psallere] is to touch the psaltery with the hand. Jerome: "Always do something good, that the Devil may find you occupied"; Matthew 12: "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man," etc., down to "entering in, they dwell there," and so on. "And it comes to pass," and so on. "The name of the Lord" — that is, unto the praise of the name of the Lord most high: Luke 1: "Glory to God in the highest": Matthew 5: "So let your light shine before men, that they may see," and so on.”

“David, in affliction, is here pouring out his soul before God; his address is short, but the method is very observable, and of use for direction and encouragement. I. His troubles extort complaints (Psa 13:1, Psa 13:2); and the afflicted have liberty to pour out their complaint before the Lord, Ps. 102 title. It is some ease to a troubled spirit to give vent to its griefs, especially to give vent to them at the throne of grace, where we are sure to find one who is afflicted in the afflictions of his people and is troubled with the feeling of their infirmities; thither we have boldness of access by faith, and there we have parrēsia - freedom of speech. Observe here, 1. What David complains of. (1.) God's unkindness; so he construed it, and it was his infirmity. He thought God had forgotten him, had forgotten his promises to him, his covenant with him, his former lovingkindness which he had shown him and which he took to be an earnest of further mercy, had forgotten that there was such a man in the world, who needed and expected relief and succour from him. Thus Zion said, My God has forgotten me (Isa 49:14), Israel said, My way is hidden from the Lord, Isa 40:27. Not that any good man can doubt the omniscience, goodness, and faithfulness of God; but it is a peevish expression of prevailing fear, which yet, when it arises from a high esteem and earnest desire of God's favour, though it be indecent and culpable, shall be passed by and pardoned, for the second thought will retract it and repent of it. God hid his face from him, so that he wanted that inward comfort in God which he used to have, and herein was a type of Christ upon the cross, crying out, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? God sometimes hides his face from his own children, and leaves them in the dark concerning their interest in him; and this they lay to heart more than any outward trouble whatsoever. (2.) His own uneasiness. [1.] He was racked with care, which filled his head: I take counsel in my soul; "I am at a loss, and am inops consilii - without a friend to advise with that I can put any confidence in, and therefore am myself continually projecting what to do to help myself; but none of my projects are likely to take effect, so that I am at my wits' end, and in a continual agitation." Anxious cares are heavy burdens with which good people often load themselves more than they need. [2.] He was overwhelmed with sorrow, which filled his heart: I have sorrow in my heart daily. He had a constant disposition to sorrow and it preyed upon his spirits, not only in the night, when he was silent and solitary, but by day too, when lighter griefs are diverted and dissipated by conversation and business; nay, every day brought with it fresh occasions of grief; the clouds returned after the rain. The bread of sorrow is sometimes the saint's daily bread. Our Master himself was a man of sorrows. (3.) His enemies' insolence, which added to his grief. Saul his great enemy, and others under him, were exalted over him, triumphed in his distress, pleased themselves with his grief, and promised themselves a complete victory over him. This he complained of as reflecting dishonour upon God, and his power and promise. 2. How he expostulates with God hereupon: "How long shall it be thus?" And, "Shall it be thus for ever?" Long afflictions try our patience and often tire it. It is a common temptation, when trouble lasts long, to think it will last always; despondency then turns into despair, and those that have long been without joy begin, at last, to be without hope. "Lord, tell me how long thou wilt hide thy face, and assure me that it shall not be for ever, but that thou wilt return at length in mercy to me, and then I shall the more easily bear my present troubles." II. His complaints stir up his prayers, Psa 13:3, Psa 13:4. We should never allow ourselves to make any complaints but what are fit to be offered up to God and what drive us to our knees. Observe here, 1. What his petitions are: Consider my case, hear my complaints, and enlighten my eyes, that is, (1.) "Strengthen my faith;" for faith is the eye of the soul, with which it sees above, and sees through, the things of sense. "Lord, enable me to look beyond my present troubles and to foresee a happy issue of them." (2.) "Guide my way; enable me to look about me, that I may avoid the snares which are laid for me." (3.) "Refresh my soul with the joy of thy salvation." That which revives the drooping spirits is said to enlighten the eyes, Sa1 14:27; Ezr 9:8. "Lord, scatter the cloud of melancholy which darkens my eyes, and let my countenance be made pleasant." 2. What his pleas are. He mentions his relation to God and interest in him (O Lord my God!) and insists upon the greatness of the peril, which called for speedy relief and succour. If his eyes were not enlightened quickly, (1.) He concludes that he must perish: "I shall sleep the sleep of death; I cannot live under the weight of all this care and grief." Nothing is more killing to a soul then the want of God's favour, nothing more reviving than the return of it. (2.) That then his enemies would triumph: "Lest my enemy say, So would I have it; lest Saul, lest Satan, be gratified in my fall." It would gratify the pride of his enemy: He will say, "I have prevailed, I have gotten the day, and been too hard for him and his God." It would gratify the malice of his enemies: They will rejoice when I am moved. And will it be for God's honour to suffer them thus to trample upon all that is sacred both in heaven and earth? III. His prayers are soon turned into praises (Psa 13:5, Psa 13:6): But my heart shall rejoice and I will sing to the Lord. What a surprising change is here in a few lines! In the beginning of the psalm we have him drooping, trembling, and ready to sink into melancholy and despair; but, in the close of it, rejoicing in God, and elevated and enlarged in his praises. See the power of faith, the power of prayer, and how good it is to draw near to God. If we bring our cares and griefs to the throne of grace, and leave them there, we may go away like Hannah, and our countenance will be no more sad, Sa1 1:18. And here observe the method of his comfort. 1. God's mercy is the support of his faith. "My case is bad enough, and I am ready to think it deplorable, till I consider the infinite goodness of God; but, finding I have that to trust to, I am comforted, though I have no merit of my own. In former distresses I have trusted in the mercy of God, and I never found that it failed me; his mercy has in due time relieved me and my confidence in it has in the mean time supported me. Even in the depth of this distress, when God hid his face from me, when without were fightings and within were fears, yet I trusted in the mercy of God and that was as an anchor in a storm, by the help of which, though I was tossed, I was not overset." And still I do trust in thy mercy; so some read it. "I refer myself to that, with an assurance that it will do well for me at last." This he pleads with God, knowing what pleasure he takes in those that hope in his mercy, Psa 147:11. 2. His faith in God's mercy filled his heart with joy in his salvation; for joy and peace come by believing, Rom 15:13. Believing, you rejoice, Pe1 1:8. Having put his trust in the mercy of God, he is fully assured of salvation, and that his heart, which was now daily grieving, should rejoice in that salvation. Though weeping endure long, joy will return. 3. His joy in God's salvation would fill his mouth with songs of praise (Psa 13:6): "I will sing unto the Lord, sing in remembrance of what he has done formerly; though I should never recover the peace I have had, I will die blessing God that ever I had it. He has dealt bountifully with me formerly, and he shall have the glory of that, however he is pleased to deal with me now. I will sing in hope of what he will do for me at last, being confident that all will end well, will end everlastingly well." But he speaks of it as a thing past (He has dealt bountifully with me), because by faith he had received the earnest of the salvation and he was as confident of it as if it had been done already. In singing this psalm and praying it over, if we have not the same complaints to make that David had, we must thank God that we have not, dread and deprecate his withdrawings, sympathize with those that are troubled in mind, and encourage ourselves in our most holy faith and joy.”

“How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever?.... When God does not immediately deliver his people from their enemies, or help them out of an affliction; when he does not discover his love, communicate his grace, apply the blessings and promises of his covenant as usual; and when he does not visit them in his usual manner, and so frequently as he has formerly done, they are ready to conclude he has forgotten them; and sometimes this continues long, and then they fear they are forgotten for ever; and this they cannot bear, and therefore expostulate with God in a querulous manner, as the psalmist does here; but this is to be understood not in reality, but in their own apprehension, and in the opinion of their enemies; God never does nor can forget his people; oblivion does not fall upon him with respect to common persons and things; and much less with respect to his own dear children, for whom a special book of remembrance is written; See Gill on Psa 9:18; how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? his love, and the manifestation of it, from his person; his gracious presence, the light of his smiling countenance, which sometimes God hides or withdraws from his people by way of resentment of their unbecoming carriage to him; and which is very distressing to them, for they are apt to imagine it is in wrath and hot displeasure, when he still loves them, and will with everlasting kindness have mercy on them; see Isa 8:17. The Targum renders it, "the glory of thy face".”

“(Heb.: 13:2-3) The complicated question: till when, how long...for ever (as in Psa 74:10; Psa 79:5; Psa 89:47), is the expression of a complicated condition of soul, in which, as Luther briefly and forcibly describes it, amidst the feeling of anguish under divine wrath "hope itself despairs and despair nevertheless begins to hope." The self-contradiction of the question is to be explained by the conflict which is going on within between the flesh and the spirit. The dejected heart thinks: God has forgotten me for ever. But the spirit, which thrusts away this thought, changes it into a question which sets upon it the mark of a mere appearance not a reality: how long shall it seem as though Thou forgettest me for ever? It is in the nature of the divine wrath, that the feeling of it is always accompanied by an impression that it will last for ever; and consequently it becomes a foretaste of hell itself. But faith holds fast the love that is behind the wrath; it sees in the display of anger only a self-masking of the loving countenance of the God of love, and longs for the time when this loving countenance shall be again unveiled to it. Thrice does David send forth this cry of faith out of the inmost depths of his spirit. To place or set up contrivances, plans, or proposals in his soul, viz., as to the means by which he may be able to escape from this painful condition, is equivalent to, to make the soul the place of such thoughts, or the place where such thoughts are fabricated (cf. Pro 26:24). One such עצה chases the other in his soul, because he recognises the vanity of one after another as soon as they spring up. With respect to the יומם which follows, we must think of these cares as taking possession of his soul in the night time; for the night leaves a man alone with his affliction and makes it doubly felt by him. It cannot be proved from Eze 30:16 (cf. Zep 2:4 בּצּהרים), that יומם like יום (Jer 7:25, short for יום יום) may mean "daily" (Ew. 313, a). יומם does not mean this here, but is the antithesis to לילה which is to be supplied in thought in Psa 13:3. By night he proposes plan after plan, each one as worthless as the other; and by day, or all the day through, when he sees his distress with open eyes, sorrow (יגון) is in his heart, as it were, as the feeling the night leaves behind it and as the direct reflex of his helpless and hopeless condition. He is persecuted, and his foe is in the ascendant. רוּם is both to be exalted and to rise, raise one's self, i.e., to rise to position and arrogantly to assume dignity to one's self (sich brsten). The strophe closes with ‛ad-āna which is used for the fourth time.”