Psalms 13:1

Psalm 13 ¹ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

13:1 How long, Lord, will you continue to ignore me? ² 

How long will you pay no attention to me? ³ 

Psalms 44:24

44:24 Why do you look the other way, ⁴ 

and ignore ⁵  the way we are oppressed and mistreated? ⁶ 

Psalms 69:17

69:17 Do not ignore ⁷  your servant,

for I am in trouble! Answer me right away! ⁸ 

Job 13:24

13:24 Why do you hide your face ⁹ 

and regard me as your enemy?

[13:1]  ¹ sn Psalm 13. The psalmist, who is close to death, desperately pleads for God’s deliverance and affirms his trust in God’s faithfulness.

[13:1]  ² tn Heb “will you forget me continually.”

[13:1]  ³ tn Heb “will you hide your face from me.”

[44:24]  ⁴ tn Heb “Why do you hide your face?” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).

[44:24]  ⁵ tn Or “forget.”

[44:24]  ⁶ tn Heb “our oppression and our affliction.”

[69:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “do not hide your face from.” The Hebrew idiom “hide the face” can (1) mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).

[69:17]  ⁸ tn Or “quickly.”

[13:24]  ⁹ sn The anthropomorphism of “hide the face” indicates a withdrawal of favor and an outpouring of wrath (see Ps 30:7 [8]; Isa 54:8; Ps 27:9). Sometimes God “hides his face” to make himself invisible or aloof (see 34:29). In either case, if God covers his face it is because he considers Job an enemy – at least this is what Job thinks.