The Meaning of Psalms 13:1 Explained

Psalms 13:1

KJV: {To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.} How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

YLT: To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. Till when, O Jehovah, Dost Thou forget me? -- for ever? Till when dost Thou hide Thy face from me?

Darby: {To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.} How long, Jehovah, wilt thou forget me for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

ASV: How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou forget me for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{To the chief Musician,  A Psalm  of David.  }} How long wilt thou forget  me, O LORD?  for ever?  how long wilt thou hide  thy face  from me? 

What does Psalms 13:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 13:1-6 - The Bounty Of God And The Folly Of Men
The first of these psalms evidently dates from the Sauline persecutions, 1 Samuel 19:1. Four times the persecuted soul cries, How long! The psalm begins in deepest dejection, but clears as it proceeds. Prayer often proves to be the ladder from the deepest dungeon to the more radiant day. We find here depression, Psalms 13:1-2; supplication, Psalms 13:3-4; assurance, Psalms 13:5-6. Do not carry your anxieties in your heart. Remember that Christ is by your side, and leading you through all to the Kingdom. Faith begins praise for victory before the fight has reached its worst.
The creed, character, and doom of the atheist are set forth in the next psalm, and the psalm is so important as to demand repetition. See Psalms 53:1-6. The root of atheism is in the heart, Romans 1:21. Its effect on character, speech, and action is disastrous, and it ends in great fear, Psalms 14:5. The best answer to atheism is the light and liberty of the children of God, Psalms 14:7; Hebrews 9:28; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 13

1  David complains of delay
3  He prays for preventing grace
5  He boasts of divine mercy

What do the individual words in Psalms 13:1 mean?

To the Chief Musician a Psalm of David How long Yahweh will You forget me forever long will You hide - Your face from me
לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד עַד־ אָ֣נָה ؟ יְ֭הוָה תִּשְׁכָּחֵ֣נִי ؟ נֶ֑צַח אָ֓נָה ׀ תַּסְתִּ֖יר אֶת־ פָּנֶ֣יךָ מִמֶּֽנִּי

לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ  To  the  Chief  Musician 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָצַח  
Sense: to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring.
מִזְמ֥וֹר  a  Psalm 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְמֹור  
Sense: melody, psalm.
לְדָוִֽד  of  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
עַד־  How 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אָ֣נָה  long 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אָן  
Sense: where?, whither? (of place).
؟ יְ֭הוָה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
תִּשְׁכָּחֵ֣נִי  will  You  forget  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: כָּשַׁח 
Sense: to forget, ignore, wither.
؟ נֶ֑צַח  forever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵצַח  
Sense: eminence, perpetuity, strength, victory, enduring, everlastingness.
אָ֓נָה ׀  long 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אָן  
Sense: where?, whither? (of place).
תַּסְתִּ֖יר  will  You  hide 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָתַר  
Sense: to hide, conceal.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
פָּנֶ֣יךָ  Your  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
מִמֶּֽנִּי  from  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.