kjv@Psalms:13

Today's Text:

Today's Audio Commentary: "Lighten Mine Eyes"

Today's Commentary Outline: "Lighten Mine Eyes"

"Lighten Mine Eyes" - Introduction 13:3

1. We may not find ourselves literally in a situation like David is experiencing today, but we know well a few of these sentiments:


• the feeling of being forgotten by the LORD, the LORD seemingly distant/hidden, sorrow/anguish in our soul daily, the feeling of loosing to an enemy/disease/catastrophe or horrible situation.
• I work in the medical support industry (pediatrics) where we see plenty of cancers/dystrophy's/epilepsy's/severe birth defects/heart and lung and brain dysfunctions. There parents this very moment with these exact sentiments as David.
• You may be experiencing something completely different than either of us but, are not these sentiments yours sometimes as well?
• It's one of the reasons Psalms is so cherished and looked up to by so many Christians: David is open and honest about his feelings in a way most other people around us today are not prepared to.
• Is David telling us that God actually has forgotten/hiding? Or that if not for his faith in God sometimes it would have felt just like that? At least like that until 13:6 some point along the way he realizes that through it all the LORD has rather been quite bountiful to him.
• Review 13: (What is David really telling us and asking the LORD to do?)
• _Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes 13:3_
2. Like David I have tried to keep a trusting frame of mind about these difficult sentiments and experiences. Not just for myself lately but also, for those in my line of sight professionally who are faced with these plaguing questions at present.


• I find that I cannot just detach myself from these people and their soul wrenching anguish.
• I trust in the LORD'S mercy 13:5 and I'm confident of the future hope of HIS deliverance in whatever form HE sees fit 13:5.
• I know that through it all at some point looking back on it that we all will see that the LORD certainly through it all has dealt with us bountifully.
• But, how on earth do I ever express this to a mother/father/grand parent/foster parent going through this at the time? How do I express this to them in the cases when the child's condition is terminal?
• How best to tell them that the LORD has not forgotten/has not been hiding/has not allowed this enemy to be exalted over us?
• _Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes 13:3_
3. So we find David today calling to the LORD to "lighten" his eyes 13:3. How should we take this to mean?


• Lighten as in gaining an understanding of all things? (what then? is this to be the primary means of our satisfaction?)
• Lighten as in shinning (from the inside out) with an inner light of trust and confidence? (what then? is that to be the primary means of our satisfaction?)
4. Knowledge/Understanding?


• As much as any situation can be known by man it is seldom enough.
• (thanks to God given science) we probably know most about disease and the human body. This wealth of knowledge is seldom enough.
• We can explain what it is/what it is caused by/what it's progression is/the types of treatment available/what we plan to do about it - to the parent this explanation is seldom enough.
• We can put the child/parents through the procedure prescribed of all that we know to be right and beneficial only to find at the end of all this - this knowledge as large and wide as it already is is again proved to be seldom enough.
• And in the end despite everything that we thought we knew (and promised their parents) it simply comes back down to whether they can yet trust in the LORD's good mercy and one day hope to see that God through it all has indeed been most bountiful to us.
• Some of us find that we cannot just detach ourselves from these people and their soul wrenching anguish, some times helping them through these times means becoming the pillow for the pounding of their fists.
• Though that time of calming comfort for them may not be right now - _Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes 13:3_
5. "How Long Oh LORD": 13:1-2


• Four penetrating questions today 13: (The Honest Questions of a sincere believer)
• How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? 13:1
• how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 13:1
• How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? 13:2
• how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 13:2
• For those of you going through these situations and sentiments at this moment, this then is the task for us today to sincerely discuss.

"How Long? - What is it I am not Seeing"

• In the darkest times it's hard to see why/what/where/how long. (that's why these times are so dark)
• we know that the LORD does not ever forget 13:1 HIS children/saints (HE is all knowing)
• we know that the LORD does not ever hide 13:1 from HIS children/saints (There is no where for HIM to hide - HE is all present)
• we know in the end we will look back and finally see "he hath dealt bountifully with me" 13:6
• But why then are we seemingly waiting? What are we not yet seeing?


1. The first explanation that many people initially come up with is sin/sinfulness


• Sin (individual level) - If so we would all be sick and diseased? (Job was tested because he was righteous)
• Sin (individual level) - Why then a new born child?
• Sin (of parents) - (perhaps if they were junkies or have promiscuous STDs) (why some and not others?)

kjv@John:9:2 @ And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

kjv@John:9:3 @ Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

• Sin (of parents) - (works of God manifest in all cases?)
• Sin (generational curse) - not talking genetics (something grandfather did as young man effecting grandson 47 years later?)
• Sin (societal) - diet, hygiene, geographic, ethnic, habitual, class/caste, chemical (agricultural), epidemic/pandemic
• Sin (universal - original) certainly does effect us (balance of nature, entropy towards death/extinction)
• Sin in it's various shapes and forms is certainly could be part of this, sin can/should be repented/turned away from but, is it the only thing to consider?
• I find this explanation intriguing/possible overall but in the case of medical concerns not entirely satisfactory.
2. The second explanation we tend to gravitate towards is along the lines of human expectation.


• Idea = we place our own set of expectations upon God (individual/group/culture/society), we expect God to meet our expectations no matter what they be.
• simple illustration = society expects every one should have a roof over their head, 3 meals a day, a car/cell phone and a television; anyone who doesn't have these things is considered destitute and shameful.
• But see with this particular human expectation comes human complications: property ownership, property rights, financing, employment etc...
• In the case of pediatrics it's no longer a miracle that premies survive, it has become an expectation; all well and fine. Human complications = pediatric patients who present with a multitude of symptoms related to having survived a very premature birth.
• Explanation may apply in several complicated areas of life in some cases but still on the whole is not completely satisfactory.
3. Third possible explanation: "That the works of God should be made manifest in him" kjv@John:9:3


• Case of Jesus Jesus healing natal blindness = healing manifests God's work (always? only?)
• Also the case of so much going right in body even when a few things are going wrong = works of God manifest (how much has to be right in order to live at all)
• Also work of God can be manifested in the calling of MDs, RNs, Specialists, Pharmacists, Therapists, Counselors, Equipment support, Researchers, Case Workers, Administrators, Payers/Insurers, Home medical providers and agencies, mobility, medical day schools etc...
• The work of God = the exercise of so many good hearted souls attempting in their own ways to perform the calling of God to serve/comfort/nuture/protect.
• healing is not always the snap of a finger or spitting on dirt to apply to blind eyes, often times it is a long long process, sometimes that process includes letting a child go (hard as that may seem at the time).
4. Fourth possible explanation: This is all the work of Satan


• Some scriptural evidence (Job) (one case not fully supportive? all cases?)
• Inherits the concept that God permits (what Satan intends for harm used towards a higher purpose by God?)
• Tough concept to consider:

kjv@Psalms:119:75 @ I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

• Satisfactory explanation? Partially?
5. Fifth possible explanation: This is God teaching man all of HIS glorious wonders.


• Teaching man love and compassion, nurturing/nursing and ministry, doctoring and healing.
• This is God teaching man science and mathematics, chemistry and physics and genetics and radiation, engineering and transportation, community and government and regulation.
• It is also God teaching man that man is largely unfocused, self interested, self exalting, self inflicting, detached from priority and consequence and healthy habit.
• Satisfactory explanation? Partially?


• I know a lot of parents blame themselves for what is happening, or worse each other, or worse God.
• It is an odd thing that when the child is born we consider it as a blessing to us from God. But should that child one day be taken away we consider it God's curse. (The reaction seems to contradict itself).
• The works of God are mysterious and manifold. (Sin/Expectation/Manifestation do all have a part but, how much?)
• It is really hard to say that God is not there in all of this somewhere (you'd think that it would be easier to say HE's not there but it is not - ask nearly anyone that has been through this)
• GOD is there somewhere, I should say everywhere, where though it's sometimes very hard to see.
• Ultimate question: how much do any of us really need to know or understand about all that is going on before God can reasonable expect any of us to simply trust that HE ultimately knows what HE is doing (even if we don't) and is working "ALL" things towards our ultimate good?
• So we trust in HIS mercy, rejoice in HIS salvation, sing one day looking back on it that yes HE has dealt bountifully with all of us.




"Consider and Hear Me" - How then shall We Pray 13:3




What does David mean for us to pray




• David is facing problems of his own
• Everyone of you either are facing or know someone dear to you that are facing problems of their own.
• (the common thread however seems to be this sentiment of God being somewhere else other than here)
• (for those of us that can not detach ourselves from their anguish the thread becomes how best to confort/serve them)
• (I also want to note that often the person most directly effected by this anguish is nearly incapable of praying themselves (at least at first))


• " Consider " 13:3


Quoted resource: strongs 'H5027'


H5027 @ נבט nâbaţ naw-bat' A primitive root; to {scan} that {is} look intently at; by implication to regard with {pleasure} favor or care: - (cause to) {behold} {consider} look ({down}) {regard} have {respect} see.


• Elsewhere in the Psalms the psalmists ask the LORD to consider by their: meditations kjv@Psalms:5:1, troubles kjv@Psalms:9:13 kjv@Psalms:31:7, enemies kjv@Psalms:25:19, afflictions kjv@119:153, how they love HIS precepts kjv@Psalms:119:159
• Scripturally there is always the idea of God knowing and being aware of all things
• Doctrinally there is also the idea that all things in this life operate in response to actions that God Himself has performed.
• 16th century Reformers and Puritans contemplated the idea of there being cause, secondary/tertiary cause (caused as a result of/response to)
• The idea of petitioning God to consider leans more toward the idea of HIM regarding (in light of all primary/secondary/tertiary cause and response) in a more favorable light. (pleading to HIS mercy)
• What better object/vehicle of mercy than HIS beloved son Jesus Christ?


• " hear " 13:3


Quoted resource: strongs 'H6030'


H6030 @ ענה ‛ânâh aw-naw' A primitive root; properly to eye or (generally) to {heed} that {is} pay attention; by implication to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to {sing} shout6 {testify} announce: - give {account} afflict [by mistake for {H6031]} (cause {to} give) {answer} bring low [by mistake for {H6031]} {cry} {hear} {Leannoth} lift {up} {say} X {scholar} (give a) {shout} sing (together by {course}) {speak} {testify} {utter} (bear) witness. See also {H1042} H1043.


• Here now the meaning is understood as heeding or paying specific attention
• Again it is primarily for no other sake than HIS wondrous mercy:

kjv@Psalms:69:13 @ But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

• (note: acceptable time and in truth of thy salvation)
• Often there is the malformed notion within us that if God knows all... why then pray?
• Mercy carries with it the sense of an action being pleaded for that is not deserved by it's own merit.
• God goes to all the effort and expense of providing HIS son to us as HIS object and vehicle of mercy, we chose either to utilize that vehicle provided else reject it and attempt to plead for it by our own merit. (Then it is not mercy it is an entitlement)
• We pray for God's mercy through the object and vehicle of mercy Jesus Christ because (even though God knows that we are in need of it) HE wants to see that our connect to HIS Christ is real/fully understood/agreed to.
• I had mentioned that the person directly in this need for mercy is mostly incapable of this kind of connected and focused type of prayer.
• This is where a supportive body of like precious faith believers can serve this person most immediately.
• There are plenty of people out there that will say that they will pray for you, fewer that actually do, few who pray connected to this object/vehicle of God's mercy Jesus Christ.
• And when these few believers do, often they are barking out orders to God to do this or do that... right now LORD!
• They are confident of God's power to heal (rightly so) but not confident in God's righteousness allowing this situation to be so, not confident that God's mercy could be shown in any other form other than immediate physical healing or relief from trouble.
• If you find yourself in a time where sincere mercy focused prayer is difficult you need to surround yourself with mercy focused praying people
• Not always easy find.
• Wise to find these people before you ever need them and be one of them yourself.




"Counsel in My Soul" - Leading to Sorrow 13:2





• I'd like to come back to this idea of "lighten mine eyes" (what does David mean?)
• When facing these anguishing time of life counsel seems to swirl around in endless circles, circles only add to the sorrow.
• Sleepless nights, worries and fears and regrets that seemingly won't let you escape even for a few moments.
• Times when even the happiest moments and memories stir up only more sorrow.
• Perhaps the natural tendency is to study to know everything about this whatever. Sort it out yourself since no one else seem to be able to.
• Perhaps the natural tendency is frantically try something different, something new and experimental, something holistic, something biblically questionable.
• Perhaps some of these natural tendencies prove to be beneficial (if even to keep you focused on anything other than your sorrow)
• Is this what David means as "O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes"
• There are times because of the relentless anguish that we think we might "sleep the sleep of death" 13:3
• It would be an easy out wouldn't it. Relief typically doesn't come that easily.
• That's not to say that comfort can't come to us even if relief is going to be further down the road.
• Maybe you have tried everything that you can think of, maybe the doctor has tried everything she can think of, maybe this/that/other thing have all failed. Does that mean that there is not any place left for comfort?
• Is this what David means as "O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes"
• There are many times as a Christian counseling other people through this that there is just nothing left to be said.
• kjv@Psalms:13:3 @ Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes
• kjv@Psalms:13:5 @ But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
• kjv@Psalms:13:6 @ I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.




"Because He hath Dealt Bountifully with Me" 13:6





• Each of us have our own experiences with God/We call upon HIM for different but similar needs.
• Today I have focused on family medical experiences I have sought help for others who are struggled.
• You may be faced with something totally different and at the point where you're feeling that God has forgotten.
• Can God forget? Certainly not! 13:1
• Can God hide His face? 13:1
• It is hard to hide when you are God, become mysterious is perhaps a better word.
• It is not that God is hiding, if so then hiding in plain sight, it is that we ourselves have come to a point where HIS next move has become a mystery.
• Hide? Never never!
• HE sent us HIS Christ after all did He not?
• So we come to the question: If God is not forgetting us/hiding His face, what is it that He is doing?
• According to David God is being bountiful.
• According to Paul God is being merciful/comforting/abounding in consolation by Christ

kjv@2Corinthians:1:2 @ Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

kjv@2Corinthians:1:3 @ Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

kjv@2Corinthians:1:4 @ Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

kjv@2Corinthians:1:5 @ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

• Now you look down at this child in his hospital bed and wonder: how is that?
• God's Mercy/Bountiful dealing/Abounding consolation is sometimes hard to see isn't it?
• Doesn't mean that it has been forgotten or is hiding, it means only that we are having difficulty presently seeing it. (Important distinction right?)
• There is the human expectation that when God blesses us with a child that by blessing us nothing unexpected will occur, that it is not really a blessing from God unless everything from birth on goes as we've expected. It is less of a blessing if the unexpected happens/even less of a blessing if the child then is taken away. (That is a human expectation)
• There are several parents that I know of personally that while everything unexpected has happened to them and their child, they have come to see things in a much different "light". (The unexpected, hard as it has been, looking back on it now has rather been an unimaginable blessing)
• You might think that some people are just "wired" that way. They would be the first to assure you that they were not originally.
• These are the good folks I would point you to if you are honestly curious as to what "lighten mine eyes" actually means.
• And you might say: well I just can't do that. What I am seeing from David's psalm here and other scripture is that none of us actually can do this or be this. It is contrary to human nature largely, however it is not contrary to the regenerated spiritual nature in Christ. (This is precisely the Christ like nature).
• It carries with it a sacrificial nature. (How we saw ourselves before now/How we see ourselves in light of this/What we feel ourselves capable of)
• Once one sees them-self as being insufficient/incapable by there own power/resource/determination one can begin seeing where God's merciful bounty has been/and is further seeking come in.
• We are no longer hiding ourselves from God's actions, we are willingly asking Him to be this for us as an act of His mercy, we are rightly asking Him to help us receive them as He intends them, we are glorying in them and thereby glorifying Him no matter what His actions may be as judged by our former expectations.
• Notice here that David doesn't really give this light any further explanation? 13:3
• Only that if he doesn't have this light he is fearful he'll sleep the sleep of death.
• He obviously has searched and search himself for this light only to come to realize that it is God that has to give it (whatever it is) to him.
• We have spoken of the provision of God mercy through the object and vehicle of ultimate mercy Jesus Christ
• We have spoken of prayers to God not being like everybody elses but, made specifically through this specific mercy connection, and of groups of these mercy connected persons praying for you when you are not sure that you can.
• What this light is may come simply down to trust initially (well founded trust in Jesus Christ)
• What will come about because of these prayers may not be exactly as you envision but, these prayers will be answered as God HIMSELF sees it best for all of HIS many children.
• Final thought/my own way of thinking:
• Even if to be at a child's death bed when everything man could have done has been done, even when everything we thought we knew that would make this situation better has been exhausted, there is still a light that I pray to God will radiate from my tearful eyes to both parent and child.
• Or even it is my death bed a parent and their child are looking over there is still a light that I pray to God will radiate from my tearful eyes to both parent and child.
• Pray God then that this honest plea of mine be so! Consider and hear it please Heavenly Father!!

kjv@Romans:8:37 @ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

kjv@Romans:8:38 @ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

kjv@Romans:8:39 @ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


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