Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 19

Introduction...

Day 19 Psalm 13:1-6 from Grief and Desperation to Sing with Faith
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 5-6）
1 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes,
Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
4 Lest my enemy say,
“I have prevailed against him”;
Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
5 But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.



The psalmist David uses four "How long"s to express to God his suffering, injustice and hopelessness. In the difficult situation he couldn’t see any hope but only felt forgotten by God and so he questions God, “How long will You hide Your face from me?” Yet, David doesn’t stay downcast after sharing his distress but asks, “Consider and hear me, O Lord my God.” David knows that the only way to turn from suffering and hopelessness o singing of the Lord’s great love is by seeing reality through spiritual eyes. This is indeed a precious reminder for us that following the Lord is not by feeling but by faith. The enemy often uses suffering and negative feelings to blind the children of God, so that in difficulties we only look down instead of looking up to the Lord who is always with us! May the Lord open up our hearts in times of doubt to look upon God in trust and thanksgiving, for He has dealt bountifully with us.

【簡介】...

Day 19 詩篇13:1-6 從憂愁無望到因信歌唱
(背誦5-6節)
1 耶和華啊，你忘記我要到幾時呢？要到永遠嗎？
你掩面不顧我要到幾時呢？
2 我心裏籌算，終日愁苦，要到幾時呢？
我的仇敵升高壓制我，要到幾時呢？

3 耶和華－我的 神啊，求你看顧我，應允我！
使我眼目光明，免得我沉睡至死；
4 免得我的仇敵說：我勝了他；
免得我的敵人在我搖動的時候喜樂。

5 但我倚靠你的慈愛；
我的心因你的救恩快樂。
6 我要向耶和華歌唱，
因他用厚恩待我。





【心得分享】詩人大衛連續用四個「要到幾時呢?」在神面前表達自己痛苦、委曲和無助的心情；在艱難的環境中他看不到希望，他感覺被神遺忘了，質問神說：「祢掩面不顧我要到幾時呢？」但是大衛在傾訴心中的苦情後，並沒有持續停留在自己負面的感覺中。而是呼求說：「耶和華我的神啊，求你看顧我，應允我！使我眼目光明，免得我沉睡至死。」大衛知道唯有自己屬靈的眼目光明看見神，才能從苦境憂愁無望中轉向歌唱神的大慈愛。這對我們來說實在是一個寶貴的提醒，跟隨主不是憑感覺而是憑信心。因為仇敵常用苦難和負面的感覺來蒙蔽神的兒女，讓我們在艱難中低頭看眼前的困境，不看在艱難中陪伴我們的神，讓我們懷疑神的愛！求神使我們，讓你我的眼目光明屬靈，在生活中能常抬頭仰望祂，依靠祂，感謝祂，因祂用慈愛和厚恩待我們。