The Book of Psalms

Psalm 143

Psalm CXLIII · Vol. II, pp. 1076–1077

1 David prayeth for favour in judgment. 3 He complaineth of his griefs. 5 He strengtheneth his faith by meditation and prayer. 7 He prayeth for grace, 9 for deliverance, 10 for sanctification, 12 and for the destruction of his enemies.

Margin referencesNotes ↓

A psalm of David.

1 Hear my^a prayer, O LORD; give ear to my supplications: ^bin thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.¹

B.C. cir. 1021.

a Ps.4.1;5.1,2;130.2;31.1;18.6.

b 2 Sa.7.25. Ps.74.20;7.6,8.

1 He that prays to be answered in righteousness must be one that is conscious of being himself righteous, even 'Jesus Christ the righteous,' 'whom the Father heareth always.'—C.

2 And^c enter not into judgment with thy servant: for ^din thy sight shall no man living be justified.

c Job 40.4;14.3,4. Ps.130.3. Ec.7.20.

d Ex.34.7. Job 4.17;9.2,3;15.14;25.4. Ro.3.20. Ga.2.16.

3 For^e the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.

e Ps.142.6;140.1-5;7.1,2;17.9;31.12,13;88.4-7;102.3-11.

4 Therefore^g is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

g Ps.142.3;61.2;102.3,4;119.81-83;55.3. Mar.14.33.

5 I^h remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.

h Ps.77.5,10,11;42.6. 1 Sa.17.48.

6 I ⁱstretch forth my hands unto thee: ^jmy soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. ²Selah.

i Ps.88.9;68.31;28.2. 1 Ti.2.8. 1 Ki.8.38.

j Ps.63.1;42.1;84.2.

2 See note on Ps. 3. 2.—C.

7 Hear^k me speedily, O LORD; my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like³ unto them that go down into the pit.

k Ps.13.1-4;40.13,17;27.9;88.3,4. Ca.5.6. Is.57.16.

3 Or, for I am become like, &c.

8 Cause^l me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning;⁴ for in thee do I trust: ⁿcause me to know the way wherein I should walk; ^ofor I lift up my soul unto thee.

l Ps.30.5;69.13,16;119.49-52;46.5;5.3;36.7;31.19.

4 That is, in the morning of the resurrection—the moment that truly evidenced the love of the Father to the Son, and to the church his body, Ep. 1. 19, 20, 22.—C.

n Ps.73.24;5.8;25.4;32.8;119.5,34;31.5.

o Ps.25.1. La.3.41.

9 Deliver^p me, O LORD, from mine enemies: ^qI flee unto thee to hide me.⁵

p Ps.7.1;31.1;59.1;140.1;142.6,7.

q Ps.31.2;57.1;32.7.

5 Heb. hide me with thee.

10 Teach^r me to do thy will; for thou art my God: ^sthy Spirit is good, lead me into the ^tland of uprightness.

r Mi.4.2. 1 Jn.2.27. Ps.25.4,5;139.24;31.3;110.5. Je.31.18.

s Ne.9.20. 2 Ti.1.7. Jn.14.26;16.13,14.

t Is.26.10.

11 Quicken^u me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: ^vfor thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.

u Hab.3.2. Ep.2.1. Ps.119.25,37,40,50;80.19;85.6.

v Ps.142.7;7.6,8;ver.1.

12 And^x of thy mercy cut off mine ⁶enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: ^yfor I am thy servant.

x Ps.136.15-20;59.12,15;55.23;21.8.

6 In mercy to me and to society at large. The influence of one wicked man is immense. Human nature is upon his side, because it is corrupt and prone to evil. The general tone and sentiment of society is on his side.—P.

A.M. cir. 2983. B.C. cir. 1021.

y Ps.116.16;119.94.

Notes

Ver. 2. Christ was not justified, that is, judged in the flesh, and legally pronounced righteous as a living man; but 'he was delivered (that is, to death) for our offences, and raised for our justification,' Ro. 4. 25, being 'put to death in the flesh, and quickened by the Spirit,' 1 Pe. 3. 18; and as Paul expresses it, 'God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit,' 1 Ti. 3. 16. C.

Ver. 10. Teach me. Let it never be forgot, that the Word that was truly God, became as truly flesh; and that Jesus, 'though a Son, learned obedience by the things that he suffered,' He. 5. 8. C.

Ver. 11. Quicken me—'God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, hath quickened us together with Christ,' Ep. 2. 5. C.

Reflections.—If ever we hope for God's acceptance of us, it must not be for anything in us, but purely of grace, for his dear Son's sake, according to the promises of his Word. The most righteous cannot bear the severity of God's justice. They who best know their own hearts will ever be the first to condemn themselves, and to cry for mercy at God's hand. And they who plead guilty before the law, and flee to the grace of the gospel in Christ, shall be justified from all things. When our distress is greatest, God's power and grace shall be the more magnified in our deliverance. Though it be hard to exercise courageous faith under sore troubles, yet remembrance of God's kindness, to ourselves or others, in former times, is very encouraging. And they who thirst for his presence, favour, and love, shall never be sent away empty from his throne of grace; whatever manifestations of mercy, direction, instruction, deliverance, guidance, quickening for themselves, and destruction of enemies, they may ask.