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英文原文
This psalm is the deserted soul's case and cure. Whether it was penned upon any particular occasion does not appear, but in general, I. David sadly complains that God had long withdrawn from him and delayed to relieve him, Ps 13:1,2. II. He earnestly prays to God to consider his case and comfort him, Ps 13:3,4. III. He assures himself of an answer of peace, and therefore concludes the psalm with joy and triumph, because he concludes his deliverance to be as good as wrought, Ps 13:5,6.
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David's Complaints and Prayers Turned into Praises
大卫的怨叹与祈祷转为赞美
交与伶长。大卫的诗。
¹ 耶和华啊，你忘记我要到几时呢？要到永远吗？你掩面不顾我要到几时呢？
² 我心里筹算，终日愁苦，要到几时呢？我的仇敌升高压制我，要到几时呢？
³ 耶和华我的神啊，求你看顾我，应允我，使我眼目光明，免得我沉睡至死；
⁴ 免得我的仇敌说：我胜了他；免得我摇动的时候，那些扰害我的欢喜。
⁵ 但我倚靠你的慈爱，我的心因你的救恩快乐。
⁶ 我要向耶和华歌唱，因他用厚恩待我。
大卫在患难中，在此将他的灵魂倾吐在神面前；他的祷告简短，但其中的次序十分可观，对我们的指引与鼓励都大有裨益。
一、他的苦情催逼出怨叹（诗13:1,2）；「困苦人发昏的时候，在耶和华面前吐露苦情的祷告」（诗102篇题注），受苦之人有自由如此行。将忧伤尽情倾吐，对苦恼的心是某种舒解，尤其是在施恩宝座前倾吐，因为我们必在那里寻见一位与我们百姓同受苦难、因他们的软弱而感同身受的主；我们借着信可以坦然进入那里，在那里我们有「parresia」——「自由的陈辞」。在此请观察，
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大卫抱怨什么。（1）神的不仁——他如此体会，这是他的软弱。他以为神已经忘记了他，忘记了对他的应许、与他的约、从前向他施的慈爱（这本是更大怜悯的凭据），甚至忘记了世上还有这样一个人，正在等候、期待他的救助与搭救。锡安曾说：「我的神忘记了我」（赛49:14），以色列曾说：「我的道路向耶和华隐藏」（赛40:27）。这并不是说任何敬虔人会怀疑神的全知、良善和信实；这不过是因恐惧而发的任性之语；但当这种任性之语源于对神恩惠的深切敬慕与恳切渴慕时，虽不文雅、当受责备，却会被宽容饶恕，因为再思之后必自收回并懊悔。神向他掩面，使他失去了从前在神里所享的内心安慰，在这一点上他是十字架上基督的预表——基督呼喊：「我的神，为什么离弃我？」神有时向自己的儿女掩面，任他们对自己在他里面的份暗中无光；他们把这事放在心上，过于任何外在的患难。（2）他自己的不安。[1] 他被忧虑折磨，忧虑充斥他的头脑：「我心里筹算」；「我茫然无措，又inops consilii——没有一个我能信任的谋士可与我商议，于是我自己不住地筹算当如何自救；但我的筹算无一有望成就，所以我到了智穷力竭的地步，心中时刻翻腾。」焦虑的思虑是沉重的担子，敬虔人常常不必如此却偏要如此担在自己身上。[2] 他被忧伤淹没，忧伤充斥他的内心：「我终日愁苦」。他心中常有一种忧郁的倾向，这忧郁消磨他的精神，不仅在夜间安静孤独之时，连白日遇见谈话和事务本可消散的较轻忧伤也压住他；何况每一天都带来新的忧伤缘由；「雨后云返」。忧伤之饼有时是圣徒日用的饮食。我们的主自己也是多受忧患之人。（3）他仇敌的狂妄，这更加增了他的忧伤。他的大仇敌扫罗和扫罗手下的人都被高举在他之上，因他的患难而得意，以他的忧伤为乐，又应许自己必全然胜过他。他抱怨这事，因这事有损神的尊荣，有损神的大能与应许。
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他因此向神如何理论：「『要到几时』才能不再如此？」又说：「要『永远』如此吗？」长久的患难试验我们的忍耐，往往也耗尽我们的忍耐。当苦难持久时，常见的一种试探是以为它必永远如此；于是沮丧转为绝望，那长久没有喜乐的人至终也开始失去盼望。「主啊，告诉我你掩面要到几时，并求你向我保证这不是永远，你至终必在怜悯中再转向我；如此我便更能忍受现今的苦难。」
二、他的怨叹激发出他的祷告（诗13:3,4）。我们绝不可任凭自己发出任何怨叹，除非那怨叹适合献给神，能驱使我们屈膝。在此请观察，
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他的祈求是什么：「看顾」我的情形，「应允」我的苦情，「使我眼目光明」，即（1）「坚固我的信心」；因为信心是灵魂的眼，借此它能超越并看透感官之事。「主啊，使我能越过眼前的苦难，预见一个美好的结局。」（2）「引导我的道路；使我能四围观看，避开那为我设下的网罗。」（3）「以你救恩的喜乐使我的心苏醒。」那使下垂的手重新得力的，被说成是「使眼目光明」（撒上14:27；拉9:8）。「主啊，求你驱散那蒙住我眼的忧郁之云，使我的脸容得以欢畅。」
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他的凭据是什么。他提到他与神的关系、他在神里面的份（「耶和华我的神啊！」），并强调危险的紧迫，必须速速救助。他的眼若不速得光明，（1）他断定自己必灭亡：「我必『沉睡至死』；我无法在这一切忧虑忧伤的重压下活下去。」没有什么比失去神的恩更使灵魂枯萎，也没有什么比神的恩再返更使灵魂复苏。（2）那时他的仇敌就要夸胜：「免得我的仇敌说：正合我意；免得扫罗、免得撒但因我的跌倒而满足。」这要满足仇敌的骄傲：他要说：「我得胜了，我得势了，我和他的神我都胜过了。」这也要满足仇敌的恶毒：他们要「在我摇动时欢喜」。任凭他们如此践踏天地间一切神圣之事，这岂是神所喜悦的吗？
三、他的祷告很快转为赞美（诗13:5,6）：「但我的心要快乐，我要向耶和华歌唱。」短短几行之间有何等令人惊奇的变化！诗篇开头他还在颓丧、战抖，几乎要陷入忧郁绝望；到了末了却欢跃于神，在他的赞美中得以提升和宽广。请看信心的能力、祷告的能力，并就近神是何等美好。我们若把忧虑忧伤带到施恩宝座前、留在那里，就可以像哈拿那样走开，「面貌再不带着愁容了」（撒上1:18）。在此请观察他得安慰的次序。1. 神的怜悯是他信心的支持。「我的情形够坏了，我几乎以为无可救药，直到我想到神无限的良善；但我一发现还有这个可倚靠，便得了安慰，尽管我自己毫无功劳。从前在急难中，我「倚靠了神的慈爱」，我从未发现它使我失望；他的怜悯在所定之时救助了我，我对它的信靠其间又支持了我。即便在这苦难深处，当神向我掩面、外有争战内有惧怕之时，我「仍倚靠神的慈爱」，它如风暴中的锚，借此我虽被抛掷，却不致倾覆。」并且「我仍倚靠你的慈爱」（有人如此读）；「我将自己交托于它，确信它至终必为我成就美事。」他以此向神恳求，因为他知道神何等喜悦「仰望他慈爱的人」（诗147:11）。2. 他对神怜悯的信心使他心中充满「他救恩的喜乐」；因为喜乐与平安是「因着信」而来的（罗15:13）。「信」就有「说不出来、满有荣光的大喜乐」（彼前1:8）。他既信靠神的怜悯，便深信得救，并且他如今日日忧伤的心，必「因那救恩快乐」。虽然哀恸持久，喜乐终必再临。3. 他在神救恩中的喜乐要使他口充满赞美之歌（诗13:6）：「我要向耶和华歌唱」——唱出记念他从前所行之事的歌；即便我永不能再得回从前所享的平安，我也甘愿死时称颂神，因为我曾经享过。他从前「用厚恩待我」，他当因此得荣耀，无论他如今喜悦怎样待我。我也要唱出盼望他至终必为我成就之事，深信一切终必美好、终必永远美好。但他把这事说成已经成就的（「他用厚恩待我」），因为他借着信心已得着救恩的凭据，他对它的确信，如同它已经成就了一般。
英文原文
David's Complaints and Prayers Turned into Praises
To the chief musician. A psalm of David.
¹ How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
² How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
³ Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
⁴ Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
⁵ But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
⁶ I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
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 (Ps 13:1,2); and the afflicted have liberty to pour out their complaint before the Lord, Ps 102:1 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 parresia—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, Ps 13:3,4. 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, 1Sa 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 (Ps 13:5,6): 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, 1Sa 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, Ps 147:11. 2. His faith in God's mercy filled his heart with joy in his salvation; for joy and peace come by believing, Ro 15:13. Believing, you rejoice, 1Pe 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 (Ps 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.
本篇是被弃灵魂的病案与良方。是否因任何特别场合而作,无从查考;笼统而言:一、大卫忧愁地抱怨神长久向他退隐、迟迟不解救(诗13:1,2);二、他恳切求神顾念他的案情、安慰他(诗13:3,4);三、他确信必得平安的答复,故以喜乐与夸胜结束本诗——因他视自己的拯救如同已经成全(诗13:5,6)。