How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? 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? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. 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)
The thirteenth Psalm is a common choice for hospital visits. It is one of those “go-to” texts that are easy to pull out when nothing more specific presents itself. Not sure what Scripture to use when visiting the sick? Try Psalm 13. I was reminded recently of why Psalm 13 was so popular.
As I write this, I am recovering from gall bladder surgery. I seem to be mending well, but I was surprised by how slow it seems to be going. “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” If nothing else, a visit to the hospital is a lesson in patience. Whether we want one or not.
As I read this psalm now, I am drawn to the line “Consider and answer me. . . lest I sleep the sleep of death”. We do not like thinking about our own mortality, generally. And because of that, we generally do not think much about this gift of life we have been given. Minute by minute, day by day, year by year, the Lord sustains us. Preserves us. It is a gift so immense that it is difficult to take in. It is certainly a reason to “sing to the Lord”.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1.3, NRSV)
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