(Our study with Psalm 13 is available here)

This shorter-than-most Psalm asks the important question of ‘how long will you forget me Lord?‘ and is divided into three distinct sections that help us see the pattern that God works in our life to have anguish of heart at first, which brings us to ask the question ‘how long’, even as we look for earthly counsel, or counsel from within ourselves at first.

God brings His people to see that there is no help in man but only in Him whose hand is sovereign over all the affairs of mankind, and all things that He is working in those who He is sanctifying in this age by giving them the power to put off their flesh and no longer be of the generation who have confidence in their own flesh or the flesh of men (Eph 1:11 , 1Ti 4:6 , Php 3:3).

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

1Ti 4:6  If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

Php 3:3  For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

When we trust in man, or put our trust in princes, we are leaning unto our own flesh and so this Psalm reminds us that if we are being worked with in this age, God will mercifully take us from that first stage of having anguish and trying to resolve our problems in the earth (mans wisdom, the counsel of ungodly men within and without) by bringing us to our wits end so that we cry out to God with strong tears to receive the help we need in our greatest times of need in the form of his mighty counsel that delivers us from the wisdom of men and our leaning unto our own understanding (Isa 9:6 , 1Co 2:5).

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

1Co 2:5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

It is after we go through this process of filling up what is behind of His afflictions (Col 1:27) that can manifest in many diverse temptations and much tribulation and trials through this life, that we can then rejoice and praise God which is what we witness at the end of this psalm as a result of having gone through the shadow of the valley of death, and having been blessed to be brought to cry out and be delivered so that we can now praise our God in heaven for the wonderful works that He is doing unto the children of men (Psa 107:28-31).

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

(Our study with Psalm 13 is available here)