Psalm 13 2

Psalm 13:2 kjv

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Psalm 13:2 nkjv

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

Psalm 13:2 niv

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Psalm 13:2 esv

How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Psalm 13:2 nlt

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

Psalm 13 verses

Psalm 13 2 Meaning

Psalm 13:2 expresses a profound inner anguish and external oppression, characterized by the psalmist's deep distress. It describes a ceaseless, sorrowful internal struggle where his own thoughts offer no relief, alongside the public humiliation of his adversary seemingly gaining ascendancy. The verse is a heartfelt cry questioning the duration of suffering and God's perceived delay in intervening against both the psalmist's personal turmoil and his enemy's triumph.

Psalm 13 2 Context

Psalm 13:2 is situated within a psalm of individual lament, opening with four successive "How long" pleas (vv. 1-2). This verse intensifies the psalmist's complaint, detailing both his internal distress ("take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day") and the external threat ("my enemy be exalted over me"). Traditionally attributed to David, the psalm expresses the anguish of someone feeling abandoned by God and oppressed by adversaries, reflecting experiences possibly during times of flight from Saul or Absalom. Culturally, the "exaltation" of an enemy signifies complete victory and humiliation for the defeated party, which in the ancient Near East was not only personal shame but could also reflect poorly on the strength or faithfulness of one's deity. The psalmist's plea is an implicit challenge to any belief system where divine indifference or the power of false gods allows suffering to persist indefinitely; it firmly roots the expectation of deliverance in Yahweh, the only true and powerful God.

Psalm 13 2 Word analysis

• "How long" (עַד־אָ֭נָה – ‘ad-‘anah): A rhetorical question expressing extreme impatience, persistent suffering, and urgent yearning for divine intervention. It signifies that the situation has stretched beyond endurance. It is a form of passionate plea, not genuine ignorance, underscoring deep spiritual and emotional agony.
• "must I take counsel" (אֲשִׁית – ’ashith): The root (שִׁית - shith) can mean to place, appoint, set, or put. In this context, combined with "in my soul," it suggests a perpetual inner debate or deliberation, an unceasing turning over of thoughts and anxieties. It's a restless mind searching for solutions but finding none.
• "in my soul" (בְנַפְשִׁ֑י – b'naphshi): Naphshi (נֶפֶשׁ) refers to the totality of the psalmist's inner being, his life, self, spirit, and will. It highlights that the "counsel" is an agonizing self-reflection, a personal internal struggle that offers no solace. The turmoil originates from within his deepest self.
• "and have sorrow" (יָגֽוֹן – yagon): Denotes deep grief, affliction, or overwhelming sadness. This is not fleeting sadness but an ingrained, debilitating distress that pervades his very existence. It signifies the emotional outcome of his constant, unresolved inner deliberation.
• "in my heart" (בִּלְבָבִ֖י – bilvavi): Levavi (לֵבָב) is the core of human personality—the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and moral consciousness. The sorrow is not superficial; it affects his deepest thoughts, intentions, and understanding, permeating his entire emotional and intellectual faculty.
• "all the day" (כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם – kol-hayom): Signifies continuous, unremitting, and relentless suffering. It conveys the unending nature of the distress, not limited to a specific moment but spanning the entirety of his waking hours. It amplifies the sense of unbearable duration.
• "my enemy" (אֹֽיְבִ֥י – oy'vi): Refers to a personal adversary or foe. In many psalms, this can represent literal human opponents, but it can also be a more general term for opposing forces, including spiritual ones.
• "be exalted over me" (יָר֖וּם עָלָֽי – yarum ‘alay): Yarum (רוּם) means to be high, lifted up, or triumphant. ‘Alay means "over me" or "against me." This phrase signifies the enemy's ascendancy, public display of power, and victory, often at the psalmist's expense and humiliation. It implies the adversary is not only succeeding but is openly mocking the psalmist and his God.

• "How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?": This phrase underscores the internal agony. The psalmist is trapped in a relentless, unproductive cycle of self-consultation that only intensifies his inner grief. It highlights the absence of internal peace or any personal solution, amplifying his dependency on divine intervention.
• "How long must my enemy be exalted over me?": This highlights the external pressure and public shame. The psalmist perceives his enemy’s dominance as a direct challenge to his standing and potentially, to God's reputation. The phrase implies a spiritual dimension where the adversary's triumph mocks not only the sufferer but also the sovereign power of God.

Psalm 13 2 Bonus section

• The "How long" repeated in the lament genre of Psalms (e.g., Ps 74:10; 79:5; 89:46) is a statement of faith, not doubt. It is addressed directly to God, affirming belief in His existence, His power, and His eventual willingness to intervene, despite the painful delay. It serves as an appeal for justice and vindication.
• The progression of distress from the inward (soul/heart) to the outward (enemy's exaltation) illustrates the holistic nature of suffering; personal struggles are often exacerbated by perceived external defeats, highlighting the comprehensive nature of human dependence on God for relief.

Psalm 13 2 Commentary

Psalm 13:2 encapsulates the raw and desperate cry of a soul in the throes of overwhelming internal anguish and external pressure. The repeated question "How long?" conveys an acute sense of being abandoned and underscores the depth of the psalmist's impatience for God's action. The torment described is deeply personal; the psalmist's "counsel in his soul" indicates a constant, self-consuming rumination that fails to bring relief, only perpetuating profound "sorrow in his heart." This relentless internal struggle is compounded by the apparent triumph of his enemy, who seems to be exalted and victorious over him, leading to public humiliation and deepening his despair. The verse presents a profound human struggle where the internal and external afflictions converge, leaving the psalmist in a state of seemingly endless agony, compelling him to lament directly to God for resolution and vindication. It sets the stage for God to turn his lament into joy.