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For more commentary on this week's readings, see the Reflections on the Lectionary page. For full-text access to all articles, subscribe to the Century.
Psalm 13 is a prayer for times when life is overwhelming. It refers to an enemy, but sometimes the enemy is found not in the form of a person but in life circumstances beyond one’s control. The psalm follows the recognizable pattern of prayers for help contained within the book of Psalms. It starts by stating the problem, moves to asking for intercession, and finishes with statements of confidence in and thanksgiving for God’s actions to address the situation.
