Psalm 13 is considered the classic lament psalm. There are times when we feel nothing is going right and we are surrounded by nay-sayers and we need to pour out our despair. It is a clear plea to God when it doesn’t appear that God is responding in your situation. Remember to place your name in the spaces and to pray the psalm aloud.
How long, O Lord? Will you forget ___ forever?
How long will you hide your face from ___?
How long must ___bear pain in ____’s soul, and have sorrow in ____heart all day long?
How long shall ____’s enemy be exalted over ____?
Consider and answer ___, O Lord my God!
Give light to ___’s eyes, or ___ will sleep the sleep of death, and ___’s enemy will say, “I have prevailed”
; ___’s foes will rejoice because ___ is shaken.
(then note the classic change, when having been totally honest in one’s lament, one senses that someone is listening and faith is restored.)
But ___ trusted in your steadfast love;
___’s heart shall rejoice in your salivation.
___will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Especially if some of the language seems to exaggerate what you are feeling, give yourself permission to exaggerate your lament so that the God who hears you may sense the full depth of even your hidden pain.
