서론
Psalm 13 Introduction
英文原文
This psalm consists properly of three parts:
I. A complaint as of one who was forsaken by God; who was persecuted, and who saw no means of deliverance; who took counsel with his own heart how he might be delivered, but who found no way in which it could be done, Psalm 13:1-2.
II. An earnest prayer to God that He would interpose; that He would attend to the cry of the sufferer; that He would enlighten his mind; that his enemy might not be allowed to prevail against him, and rejoice over his fall, Psalm 13:2-3.
III. A cheerful confidence in God that he would grant this favor, and interpose in his behalf, Psalm 13:5-6.
This is entitled, "A Psalm of David," and there is no reason to suppose that he was not the author. Yet there are in it no indications of the time when it was written or of the circumstances under which it was posed. It would seem to have been time of persecution, and it would be most natural to refer its composition to the persecutions which David experienced from Saul. Most of the rabbinical writers understand it as referring to the whole Hebrew people, and as expressing their sentiments and feelings in times of persecution in general. Kimchi understands it as referring to the present exile and trials of the Jewish people. DeWette. The psalm, though undoubtedly composed with reference to the special circumstances and trials of the author, contains sentiments applicable at all times to believers, and may be regarded as exemplifying the way in which pious feeling expresses itself in times of persecution and trial. Individuals are not unfrequently in circumstances in which the language of this psalm exactly expresses the feelings of their hearts; and the psalm is of great and permanent value, therefore, in the church, as illustrating the fact that good people may sometimes feel desolate and forsaken, as if even God had left them; the fact that they will, in such circumstances, cry earnestly to God for his interposition; and the fact that they will have, and will manifest, as the result of such an appeal to God, a cheerful confidence in His protecting care.
The title - "To the chief Musician" (margin, overseer) - is the same as that prefixed to the fourth Psalm, with the omission of the words "On Neginoth." See the notes at that title.
1
Psalm 13:1
耶和华啊，你忘记我要到几时呢？——字面意思是“直到几时”。诗人“在患难之中”发出这呼喊。他显然已经尽其所能地忍受了。患难似乎永无止境。我们可以推想，他一直是忍耐而无怨言的；他长久背负他的试炼，怀着它们很快就会结束的盼望和信念；他耐心等候拯救，未发一句怨言；但如今他开始绝望了。他感到他的患难永不会结束。他看不到拯救的指望；看不到神会介入的迹象或凭据；于是他发出这温柔诉苦的言语，仿佛他已被全然撇弃，而且要永远如此。即使义人，心灵也不乏处于这种状态的时候。他被患难压住。他没有发怨言或抱怨的心思。他长久忍耐地承受一切。他盼望得解脱。他期待着它。但解脱没有来到；如今他的患难似乎永不会止息。黑暗加深；他的心不胜负荷；他到神面前，问——不是怀着抱怨或怨言，而是怀着近乎绝望的心情——这些患难究竟永不止息吗？他究竟永不能指望得拯救吗？
要到永远吗？——他被忘却了这么久，又几乎看不到拯救的指望，以致神仿佛永不会转回，以怜悯眷顾他。这表达的是一种濒临绝望的心理状态。
要到几时呢——指他患难的第二个方面或阶段。第一是他似乎被“忘记”了。这里所说的第二点，是神似乎向他掩面，他问这要持续到几时。
你掩面不顾我——恩宠——友谊——是以和善地把脸转向人来表明的；以向他微笑来表明；用圣经的语言说，是以“仰起脸光照人”来表明。参见 Psalm 4:6 的注释。嫌恶、憎恨、不悦，则以转脸不顾来表明。在诗人看来，神似乎正这样向他显出不悦的记号，于是他恳切地问道：这要持续到几时？
英文原文
How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? - literally, "until when." The psalmist breaks out into this cry "in the midst" of his troubles. He had apparently borne them as long as he could. It seemed as if they would never come to an end. We may presume that he had been patient and uncomplaining; that he had borne his trials long with the hope and belief that they would soon terminate; that he had waited patiently for deliverance, uttering no words of complaint; but now he begins to despair. He feels that his troubles will never end. He sees no prospect of deliverance; no signs or tokens that God would interpose; and he breaks out, therefore, in this language of tender complaint, as if he was utterly forsaken, and would be forever. The mind, even of a good man, is not unfrequently in this condition. He is borne down with troubles. He has no disposition to murmur or complain. He bears all patiently and long. He hopes for relief. He looks for it. But relief does not come; and it seems now that his troubles never will terminate. The darkness deepens; his mind is overwhelmed; he goes to God, and asks - not with complaining or murmuring, but with feelings bordering on despair - whether these troubles never will cease; whether he may never hope for deliverance.
Forever? - He had been forgotten so long, and there appeared to be so little prospect of deliverance, that it seemed as if God never would return and visit him with mercy. The expression denotes a state of mind on the verge of despair.
How long - Referring to a second aspect or phase of his troubles. The first was, that he seemed to be "forgotten." The second referred to here is, that God seemed to hide his face from him, and he asked how long this was to continue.
Wilt thou hide thy face from me - Favour - friendship - is shown by turning the face benignantly toward one; by smiling upon him; in Scriptural language, by "lifting up the light of the countenance" upon one. See the note at Psalm 4:6. Aversion, hatred, displeasure, are shown by turning away the countenance. God seemed to the psalmist thus to show marks of displeasure toward him, and he earnestly asks how long this was to continue.
2
Psalm 13:2
要到几时呢——这是指案子的第三个方面，或说患难的第三个层面，即他心中怀着深沉沉重的忧伤，感到困惑为难，于是他问这事还要持续多久。“我心里筹算”——这是指他竭力设计借以逃脱患难的方法。他困惑、被逼迫、显然被撇弃；既这样显然被撇弃，他便不得不试图为自己设计某个自救的方案，而无从指望来自高处的介入或帮助。他不得不倚靠自己；他问这还要持续“多久”，或说他何时才可以盼望神介入，以祂的谋略扶助他，从而搭救他。
终日愁苦——即每一天；持续不断地。就是说，他的患难没有间歇。他心中的忧伤，似乎不仅是外界患难所致，也是出于那试图为自己筹划解脱的痛苦必要——那些似乎归于徒然的计划——所产生的。
我的仇敌升高压制我，要到几时呢？——这是他患难的第四种形式或层面，他问这还要持续多久。这子句也许道出了这试炼的确切形式。它是由一个仇敌的图谋引起的：这仇敌逼迫欺压诗人，而且行之有效，以致他似乎已经胜过了他，或已把他完全掌握在自己权下。这试炼的其他一切形式——他似乎被忘记这一事实；神似乎掩面不顾；他被撇下自寻那似乎徒然的解脱之计——都与这里所提到的事实相连：一个仇敌逼迫了他，且被容许得了胜。这仇敌是谁，我们无从知晓。
英文原文
How long - This refers to the third aspect of the case, or the third phase of the trouble, that is, that he was perplexed and embarrassed, having a deep and heavy sorrow in his heart, and he asks how long this was to continue. "Shall I take counsel in my soul." This refers to the methods which he endeavored to devise to escape from trouble. He was perplexed, persecuted, and apparently forsaken; and being thus apparently forsaken, he was constrained to attempt to devise some plan for his own deliverance, without interposition or help from on high. He was under a necessity of relying on himself; and he asks "how long" this was to continue, or when he might hope that God would interpose to aid him by his counsels, and thus to deliver him.
Having sorrow in my heart daily - Every day; constantly. That is, there was no intermission to his troubles. The sorrow in his heart seems to have been not merely that which was caused by troubles from without, but also that which sprang from the painful necessity of attempting to form plans for his own relief - plans which seemed to be in vain.
How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? - This is the fourth form or phase of his trouble, and he asks how long this was to continue. This clause suggests perhaps the exact form of the trial. It was that which arose from the designs of an enemy who persecuted and oppressed the psalmist, and who had done it so effectually that he seemed to have triumphed over him, or to have him completely in his power. All the other forms of the trial - the fact that he seemed to be forgotten; that God had apparently averted his face; that he was left to form plans of deliverance which seemed to be vain, were connected with the fact here adverted to, that an enemy had persecuted him, and had been suffered to gain a triumph over him. Who this enemy was we do not know.
3
Psalm 13:3
“求你看顾我，应允我”——直译是“看哪，垂听我”。神似乎掩面不顾，仿佛连看也不愿看他（Psalm 13:1）；如今诗人祈求神肯看他——眷顾他的需要——垂听他的呼求。我们也常这样向一位转脸不顾我们、仿佛不愿垂听、仿佛毫不顾念我们的那一位祷告。
“使我眼目光明”——这里的暗示，大概是指他因患难与绝望而起的衰竭，仿佛他快要死了。死亡临近时，视力就昏暗；他似乎感到死亡已近。他说，除非神介入，黑暗必要加深，他必定死亡。因此，求神“使他眼目光明”，就是求神介入，救他脱离那他感到正迅速临近的死亡。
“免得我沉睡至死”——直译是“免得我睡那死”；即在死中，或如通行译本所说，死的睡眠。其观念是：视力昏暗既表明死亡的临近，死亡正如睡眠一般悄悄袭来；除非他的视力恢复清明，它很快就要终结于全然的黑暗——那死亡深沉的酣睡。死亡常被比作睡眠。见 1 Corinthians 11:30 的注释；John 11:11 与 John 11:13 的注释；并见 1 Thessalonians 4:14；Daniel 12:2。两者之间的相似如此明显，历世历代的人都曾指出；这比喻见于万国的著作。然而，只有与基督教相连，这观念才借着复活的教义得以完全展开：因为我们夜间躺下，存着醒来迎接新一天之追求与享受的盼望；基督徒也照样在死亡中躺下，存着在复活之晨醒来、迎接一个新的永恒之日的追求与享受的盼望。在任何别处，死亡在人心目中都只是漫长而不醒的睡眠。参 Jeremiah 51:39；Jeremiah 51:57。
英文原文
Consider and hear me - literally, "Look, hear me." God had seemed to avert his face as if he would not even look upon him Psalm 13:1; and the psalmist now prays that he "would" look upon him - that he would regard his wants - that he would attend to his cry. So we pray to one who turns away from us as if he were not disposed to hear, and as if he cared nothing about us.
Lighten mine eyes - The allusion here is, probably, to his exhaustion, arising from trouble and despair, as if he were about to die. The sight grows dim as death approaches; and he seemed to feel that death was near. He says that unless God should interpose, the darkness would deepen, and he must die. The prayer, therefore, that God would "enlighten his eyes," was a prayer that he would interpose and save him from that death which he felt was rapidly approaching.
Lest I sleep the sleep of death - literally, "Lest I sleep the death;" that is, "in" death, or, as in the common version, the sleep of death. The idea is, that death, whose approach was indicated by the dimness of vision, was fast stealing over him as a sleep, and that unless his clearness of vision were restored, it would soon end in the total darkness - the deep and profound sleep - of death. Death is often compared to sleep. See the note at 1 Corinthians 11:30; the note at John 11:11, John 11:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; Daniel 12:2. The resemblance between the two is so obvious as to have been remarked in all ages, and the comparison is found in the writings of all nations. It is only, however, in connection with Christianity that the idea has been fully carried out by the doctrine of the resurrection, for as we lie down at night with the hope of awaking to the pursuits and enjoyments of a new day, so the Christian lies down in death with the hope of awaking in the morning of the resurrection to the pursuits and enjoyments of a new and eternal day. Everywhere else death is, to the mind, a long and unbroken sleep. Compare Jeremiah 51:39, Jeremiah 51:57.
4
Psalm 13:4
免得我的仇敌说：我胜了他——即我压倒了他；我征服了他。就是说，以得着完全胜利者的姿态向他夸胜。
那些扰乱我的——希伯来文作"我的对头"（"My adversaries"）。这里所指的，与本节前一个分句所指的相同，就是那些似乎几乎已经胜过了他、他几乎要屈服于其权下的仇敌。"喜乐"，即欢腾夸胜。
在我摇动的时候——即从我坚守的立场上被动摇；当我被胜过时。迄今为止，他一直能抵挡他们；如今他开始绝望，惟恐他们会借着制伏他而达到目的。他忧惧的缘由、他呼吁的根据乃是：他若被击败，他所投身的事业必受亏损，宗教的仇敌必夸胜。
英文原文
Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him - I have overpowered him; I have conquered him. That is, to triumph over him as having obtained a complete victory.
And those that trouble me - Hebrew, "My adversaries." The reference here is the same as in the former member of the verse. It is to the enemies that seemed almost to have triumphed over him already, and under whose power he was ready to sink. "Rejoice." Exult; triumph.
When I am moved - Moved from my steadfastness or firmness; when I am overcome. Hitherto he had been able to hold out against them; now he began to despair, and to fear that they would accomplish their object by overcoming and subduing him. His ground of apprehension and of appeal was, that by his being vanquished the cause in which he was engaged would suffer, and that the enemies of religion would triumph.
5
Psalm 13:5
但我倚靠你的慈爱——即倚靠你的恩宠；你的友谊；你的应许。他起初的信靠就单单在于神，而不在自己。这信靠他仍然持守；如今，作为这信靠的结果，他开始在必得安全的确信中欢欣。其观念是：“我已倚靠神的慈爱；我如今仍倚靠，并且我必永远倚靠。”
我的心因你的救恩快乐——“救恩”一词在这里不是指来世的救恩，而是指脱离他目前的患难，或指神施援手使他进入安全的境况。其观念是：他完全确信神必介入，并且当那救恩实际成就时，仍将有因它喜乐的理由。他如今召唤自己的心，在那救恩必属于他的确信中喜乐。我们也当如此。不仅在救恩实际成就时才有喜乐，在它必属于我们的坚定确信中，也可以、也应当有喜乐。
英文原文
But I have trusted in thy mercy - In thy favor; thy friendship; thy promises. His original confidence had been in God only, and not in himself. That confidence he still maintained; and now, as the result of that, he begins to exult in the confidence that he would be safe. The idea is, "I have trusted in the mercy of God; I still trust, and I will trust forever."
My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation - The word "salvation" here does not refer to salvation in the future world, but to deliverance from his present troubles, or to God's interposition in putting him into a condition of safety. The idea is, that he had entire confidence that God would interpose, and that there would yet be cause to rejoice in that salvation as actually accomplished. He now calls on his heart to rejoice in the assurance that it would be his. So with us. There will not only be rejoicing in salvation when actually accomplished, but there may, and should be, in the firm conviction that it will be ours.
6
Psalm 13:6
我要向耶和华歌唱，因他用厚恩待我——这里译作“用厚恩待”的词——גמל gâmal——本义是“对待”某人；善待或恶待；随后引申为报答或报偿。当它像这里这样不带宾语使用时，通常用于好的意义，指以恩惠、恩慈对待某人；以恩宠待某人。这里的意思是：神已向他显出恩慈或恩宠，从而奠定了感恩与颂赞的根基。因此，本诗以喜乐、感恩、得胜的表达作结。它虽然以消沉忧伤开始，却以喜乐结束。这种情形在诗篇中屡见不鲜。诗篇开头常是心思被忧伤淹没，向神恳切祈求；及至在祷告的影响之下，光明渐渐透入灵魂。云消散了；黑暗退去了。神良善怜悯的新认识赐下了；他恩宠的确据临到灵魂；对他怜悯的信靠在心中油然而生；于是那以悲伤哀叹开始的诗篇，以赞美喜乐的言语作结。在我们自己的经历中也是如此。我们受苦、沮丧、忧伤地到神面前去。一切似乎都是昏暗的。我们没有平安——没有清楚而明朗的认识——没有喜乐。当我们等候神的时候，他的性情、他的怜悯、他的慈爱的新认识便照入心思。云开雾散。光照在我们身上。我们的灵魂抓住神的应许，于是那曾忧伤灰心地到他宝座前去的我们，从灵修中起来，满了赞美与喜乐，顺服于那使我们如此忧伤的试炼，并因相信万事都必互相效力、叫我们得益处而欢欣。
英文原文
I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me - The word which is here rendered "dealt bountifully" - גמל gâmal - means properly "to deal" with anyone; to "treat" anyone well or ill; and then, to requite, or recompense. When used absolutely, as it is here, it is commonly employed in a good sense, meaning to deal favorably, or kindly, toward anyone; to treat anyone with favor. It means here that God had shown him kindness or favor, and had thus laid the foundation for gratitude and praise. The psalm closes, therefore, with expressions of joy, thankfulness, triumph. Though it begins with depression and sadness, it ends with joy. This is often observable in the Psalms. In the commencement it often occurs that the mind is overwhelmed with sorrow, and there is earnest pleading with God. Light, under the influence of prayer, breaks in gradually upon the soul. The clouds disperse; the darkness disappears. New views of the goodness and mercy of God are imparted; an assurance of his favor is brought to the soul; confidence in his mercy springs up in the heart; and the psalm that began with sorrowful complaining ends with the language of praise and of joy. So, too, it is in our own experience. Afflicted, depressed, and sad, we go to God. Everything seems dark. We have no peace - no clear and cheerful views - no joy. As we wait upon God, new views of his character, his mercy, his love, break upon the mind. The clouds open. Light beams upon us. Our souls take hold of the promises of God, and we, who went to His throne sad and desponding, rise from our devotions filled with praise and joy, submissive to the trials which made us so sad, and rejoicing in the belief that all things will work together for our good.
本诗恰当地分为三部分：
一、一个仿佛被神离弃之人的哀诉；他受逼迫，看不到得救的途径；他心里筹算怎样才能得救，却找不到可行之路（Psalm 13:1-2）。
二、向神恳切祷告，求祂介入；求祂垂听受苦者的哀声；求祂光照他的心；求祂不容仇敌胜过他、因他跌倒而欢乐（Psalm 13:2-3）。
三、对神欣然的信靠，信祂必赐下这恩惠，为他介入（Psalm 13:5-6）。
本诗标题为"大卫的诗"，没有理由认为他不是作者。然而，诗中没有任何标志表明它写作的时间或当时的处境。它看来写于受逼迫的时期，把它归于大卫所受扫罗的逼迫，是最自然的。多数拉比作者把它理解为指整体的希伯来民族，表达他们在一般受逼迫时期的情操与感受。金奇（Kimchi）认为它指的是犹太人现今的流亡与试炼。德维特（DeWette）亦持此见。本诗虽然无疑是在作者特殊的处境与试炼之下写成的，其中所包含的情操却于任何时代的信徒都适用，可视为敬虔之情在逼迫与试炼之时如何表达自己的一例。个人时常处于本诗语言恰好道出其内心感受的境况之中；因此，本诗在教会中具有重大而永久的价值，因为它说明：好人有时会感到孤单被弃，仿佛连神也离弃了他们；说明他们在这样的境况中会恳切呼求神介入；并说明他们作为这呼求的结果，会存有并显出对神保护看顾的欣然信靠。
标题——"交与伶长"（旁注：监督）——与第四篇诗的标题相同，只是略去了"用丝弦的乐器"（Neginoth）等字。参见该标题的注释。