The Bible is not some boring book that fell down from Heaven to Earth. Scripture exists in a very unique literary position as a collection of writings of men “as they were being carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21, ESV). This means, though it is the Word of God—his revelation to the world—it holds and retains the personalities, tones, and experiences of the human authors who grasped the pens that recorded its words for the first time.
Sometimes the humanity of the Bible is more obvious than at other times. I think we see this clearly in David’s Psalm 13. Nothing says, “I am human,” like raw, unfiltered emotions; this is what we see as David deals with his feelings here.
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
Psalm 13:1-2 (ESV)
How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
David is all human. No mask. No polished prayer. He is just a man deep in his feelings, and his emotions have been eating him up all day.
When we’re in the depths of sorrow, it is easy to become nearsighted. All we can see is the struggle right in front of us, even to the point where we say something theologically incorrect. There is no way the Lord had forgotten David. Yet, in moments like this, God feels far away. We ask, like David did, “How long?”
In human fashion, David ends this same song with a noticeably different tone. Though nothing about his situation seems to have changed, something within him has. David pivots from grief to confidence, not because the situation has shifted, but because he remembers who God is.
But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalm 13:5-6 (ESV)
What keeps David grounded? A resolution to trust God, particularly his “steadfast love.”
This faithful, present love was with David this whole time. This caused his heart, which had been despondent all day, to switch gears. Now this same heart was rejoicing and singing to the Lord. David realized he was seen. David realized he was heard. He knew he was not alone.
David is just like you and me here. He has boarded the emotional rollercoaster, caught between what he feels and what he knows. At first, David let his feelings shape his understanding of God. By the end, he’s letting what he knows about God shape how he feels. That shift doesn’t make the pain disappear, but it brings clarity to the present by inviting eternity to share its perspective. And sometimes, that’s enough to help us sing to God through the night.
Bee-Attitude
Blessed are those who trust God when nothing changes, for you can be confident in his love.
Grant Turner is the editor of the Barnesville Buzz and an educator, coach, and writer based in Barnesville, Georgia. He shares stories that bridge community, faith, and personal growth. In addition to teaching and coaching, Grant is Director of Musical Worship and a Sunday School teacher at New Hope Baptist Church in Zebulon, Georgia. He lives in Barnesville with his wife, Haley.
