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Psalm 13:4
lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him;” lest my adversaries rejoice when I fall.
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.
5But I trust in your loving kindness. My heart rejoices in your salvation.
6I will sing to the LORD, because he has been good to me.
Notice
An enemy’s boast makes the danger sharper: David fears both his own fall and the delight of those who want to see him defeated.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What, if anything, do you fear others would say if you fell?
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Where else Scripture says this
11 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
Psalm 25:2My God, I have trusted in you. Don’t let me be shamed. Don’t let my enemies triumph over me.Both prayers bring the threat of an enemy’s triumph before God and seek his help against that outcome.
Jeremiah 1:19They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says the LORD, “to rescue you.”Psalm 13 fears an enemy prevailing; Jeremiah receives God’s promise that those fighting him will not prevail.
Psalm 30:1A Psalm. A Song for the Dedication of the Temple. By David. I will extol you, LORD, for you have raised me up, and have not made my foes to rejoice over me.Psalm 13 fears adversaries rejoicing over a fall; Psalm 30 praises God for preventing foes from rejoicing.
Psalm 41:11By this I know that you delight in me, because my enemy doesn’t triumph over me.An enemy’s triumph is feared in Psalm 13 and absent in Psalm 41, where that absence signals God’s delight.
Proverbs 12:3A man shall not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.The connection is limited to falling and stability: David fears a fall, while Proverbs describes the righteous as rooted and unmoved.
Psalm 35:19Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.Both prayers seek God’s help against the prospect of enemies rejoicing over the person who prays.
Lamentations 1:16“For these things I weep. My eye, my eye runs down with water, because the comforter who should refresh my soul is far from me. My children are desolate, …Psalm 13 fears the enemy claiming to have prevailed; Lamentations mourns because the enemy has prevailed.
Joshua 7:9For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. What will you do for your …Both prayers describe feared defeat by enemies, though Joshua speaks of the people’s destruction and God’s great name.
Ezekiel 35:12–15You will know that I, the LORD, have heard all your insults which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They have been laid desolate. They …Both passages include hostile speech about another’s downfall: an anticipated boast in Psalm 13 and insults heard by God in Ezekiel.
Revelation 11:10Those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, and they will be glad. They will give gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who …Both texts describe hostile rejoicing over others: David fears his adversaries’ joy, while Revelation describes people celebrating over the two prophets.
Revelation 12:8They didn’t prevail. No place was found for them any more in heaven.The shared thread is whether opponents prevail: Psalm 13 fears that outcome, while Revelation states that they did not prevail.
Where this verse fits
Injustice and anger. fear for the future. anxiety or panic.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
The prospect of enemies celebrating his fall belongs inside David’s prayer. You need no polished account of distress before asking God to preserve your life.
Now put it in your words.
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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).