PSALM 13 | PARALLELISM ANALYSIS

1. Identify how many lines are contained within each verse: (I am

using NASB).

Psalm 13 (NASB)
Prayer for Help in Trouble.

1 How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?

How long will You hide Your face from me?
- 2 lines

2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,

[Having] sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
- 3 lines

3 Consider [and] answer me, O LORD my God;

Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the [sleep of] death,
- 2 lines

4 And my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"

[And] my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.
- 2 lines

5 But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;

My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
- 2 lines

6 I will sing to the LORD,

Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
- 2 lines
2. Identify the type of parallelism being used between each line: (I
am using NASB).

Psalm 13 (NASB)
Prayer for Help in Trouble.

1 How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?

How long will You hide Your face from me?

- synonymous (note: there is an elision of ‘O LORD’ in line 2)

2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,

[Having] sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

- developmental/explanation (line 2 is an explanation of

description of line 1)
- developmental/addition (line 3 is an addition of line 1/2)

3 Consider [and] answer me, O LORD my God;

Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the [sleep of] death,

- developmental/addition (line 2 is an addition of line 1)

4 And my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"

[And] my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

- developmental/addition (line 2 is an addition of line 1)

5 But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;

My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

- developmental/addition (line 2 is an addition of line 1)

6 I will sing to the LORD,

Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
- developmental/purpose (line 1 is the purpose of line 2)
3. Compare the type of parallelism used within the poem and note
any patterns.

1 synonymous (note: there is an elision of ‘O LORD’ in line 2)

2 developmental/explanation (line 2 is an explanation of

description of line 1)
developmental/addition (line 3 is an addition of line 1+2)

3 developmental/addition (line 2 is an addition of line 1)

4 developmental/addition (line 2 is an addition of line 1)

5 developmental/addition (line 2 is an addition of line 1)

6 developmental/purpose (line 1 is the purpose of line 2)

Six of the parallelism type in this Psalm is developmental (4 addition, 1

explanation, and 1 purpose); the last parallelism type in the opening
verse is a synonymous. As for the first and the last developmental
parallelism which is an explanation and purpose type, respectively, they
serve as bookends to the other four developmental/addition type.

The unique pattern - synonymous parallelism - used in verse 1, is the

complaint of the psalmist with regards to the Lord’s relationship with
him. The rest of the verses are about his trouble experience and the
steps he did in coping with it.

There is a four-time repetition of the phrase ‘How long’ in the first two
verses which clearly indicates this as a Psalm of Lament.