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Psalm 13:2

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart every day? How long shall my enemy triumph over me?

1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
2How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart every day? How long shall my enemy triumph over me?
3Behold, and answer me, LORD, my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
4lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him;” lest my adversaries rejoice when I fall.
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← Psalm 13:1Psalm 13:3 →
Notice

Sorrow returns every day, and David’s repeated question captures the strain of searching his own thoughts while an enemy continues to triumph over him.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

What thoughts keep returning as you try to find a way through your sorrow?

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How does David’s repeated question about time reflect what feels hardest about your own waiting?

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What would you want to tell God about someone who seems to have the upper hand?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Micah 7:8–10Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.Both speakers face an enemy’s triumph, though Micah voices confidence in rising while David asks how long his distress will last.
Jeremiah 8:18Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! My heart is faint within me.Both describe sorrow within the heart, with Jeremiah longing for comfort and David searching his own soul.
Jeremiah 15:18Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed? Will you indeed be to me as a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?Both bring questions about prolonged suffering to God, speaking from pain that has continued without relief.
Psalm 143:3–4For the enemy pursues my soul. He has struck my life down to the ground. He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead.Both describe an enemy gaining the upper hand and the distress this brings to the speaker’s soul.
Proverbs 15:13A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but an aching heart breaks the spirit.Both speak of sorrow in the heart, with Proverbs describing its crushing effect and David naming its daily presence.
Lamentations 1:5Her adversaries have become the head. Her enemies prosper; for the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions. Her young children have gone …Both describe enemies prevailing, though Lamentations names transgressions as a cause and David gives no such explanation here.
Psalm 31:10For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity. My bones are wasted away.Both measure life through prolonged sorrow, though Psalm 31 names iniquity and failing strength while Psalm 13 asks how long.
Job 10:15If I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still will not lift up my head, being filled with disgrace, and conscious of my affliction.Both speak from ongoing distress, though Job describes disgrace and affliction while David names heart sorrow and an enemy’s triumph.
Job 23:8–10“If I go east, he is not there. If I go west, I can’t find him.The shared thread is unresolved searching: Job cannot find God, while David searches his own thoughts amid sorrow.
Ecclesiastes 5:17All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.Both describe distress extending across days, with Ecclesiastes naming frustration and darkness and David naming sorrow in his heart.
Psalm 123:3–4Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.Both prayers speak under pressure from others, with Psalm 123 naming endured contempt and David naming an enemy’s triumph.
Psalm 142:4–7Look on my right, and see; for there is no one who is concerned for me. Refuge has fled from me. No one cares for my soul.Both describe distress without relief in view, though Psalm 142 names absent human help and David describes inward counsel.
Where this verse fits

Waiting. feeling distant from God. injustice and anger.

What the Bible says about patience →What the Bible says about doubt →What the Bible says about anger →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Write one prayer about the sorrow that keeps returning

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Encouragement

Your prayer need not sound resolved when sorrow keeps returning. David addresses God while his thoughts remain troubled and his enemy prevails; the unanswered question belongs within prayer.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 13:2. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 13 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).