How Long, Lord (Day 230)

A Psalm A Day Devotional

How Long, Lord?

by Torrie Slaughter

Psalm 35:17–28

Yesterday, we surrendered our need to control the verdict.

But what happens when you have placed the matter before God…and nothing seems to change?

David asks:

“How long, Lord, will you look on?”
— Psalm 35:17

That is an honest prayer.

David has already asked God to contend with those who contend with him. He has described the injustice. He has brought his case before God.

And yet here he is asking:

How long?

Waiting Can Challenge What We Surrendered

Sometimes we think surrender will immediately produce resolution.

We pray.

We release it.

We trust God.

And somewhere underneath all that surrender is an expectation that God will now handle the situation according to a timeline that makes sense to us.

But David's prayer shows us something different.

He trusts God enough to call upon Him—and is frustrated enough to ask why He hasn't acted yet.

Those two things can exist together.

Throughout Scripture, God's people ask this question.

“How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?”
— Psalm 13:1

Habakkuk asks:

“How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen?”
— Habakkuk 1:2

Even Revelation records the martyrs crying:

“How long, Sovereign Lord…until you judge…?”
— Revelation 6:10

Different generations.

Different circumstances.

The same question.

How long?

Scripture does not shame them for asking.

David Still Knows Who God Is

Look closely at what David does after asking his question.

He asks God to rescue him.

He asks God to vindicate him.

And then he says:

“I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you.”
— Psalm 35:18

David's circumstances haven't changed between verses 17 and 18.

But his attention does.

He moves from:

“How long?”

to:

“I will praise You.”

That doesn't mean the question disappeared.

It means the unanswered question didn't get the final word.

And perhaps this is where God's peace begins to deliver us from something we don't always recognize:

our demand to know when.

Peace Doesn't Need a Deadline

Waiting can tempt us to create timelines for God.

By now this should be over.

By now they should have apologized.

By now the opportunity should have come.

By now I should understand.

By now God should have done something.

But what happens to our hearts when “by now” becomes the condition for our peace?

David shows us another possibility.

He can ask “How long?” and still anticipate praising God.

That is not denial.

That is trust learning how to breathe while the answer is still coming.

Today's Surrender

Perhaps today you don't need to surrender the situation again.

Maybe you already have.

Perhaps what needs surrendering now is your timeline for its resolution.

Sit with this question:

Have I trusted God with the situation while still trying to control when He must resolve it?

You don't have to rush to answer.

Give yourself space to notice what surfaces.

Prayer

Jehovah Shalom, You know what I have been waiting for.

You know the places where my heart is tired of asking, “How long?”

Today, I surrender my timeline to You.

Help me trust Your character while I wait for Your answer.

And in the space between my prayer and Your response, teach my heart to remain with You.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Today's Micro Surrender:
I surrender my “by now.” I can trust God even when I don't know when.

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