How long, Lord, will You forget me completely? How long will You hide Your face from me?
David begins his prayer with the repeated question “How long?”, which expresses deep pain born from prolonged waiting. He feels forgotten, and it seems to him that God has hidden His face from him. God’s face is the image of His favorable presence, help, and blessing. When help is not seen for a long time, the believer may feel that the Lord has withdrawn and no longer answers. David does not hide his pain and does not pretend before God that everything is peaceful. Yet the very fact that, in that condition, he continues to turn to the Lord shows that his faith has not died out. The words “Will You completely forget me” are an expression of his heavy feelings, not a conviction that God has truly forgotten him. The Lord does not forget those who belong to Him, though at times He allows their waiting to last long. The verse teaches that the believer can bring his pain and confusion honestly before God. Lament can also be an expression of faith, when a person in pain does not turn away from God, but sincerely opens his heart before Him and continues to wait for His help.