INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 143 A PSALM OF DAVID. This psalm was composed by David when he fled from Absalom his son, according to the title of it in Apollinarius, the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions; so R. Obadiah Gaon: and of the same opinion is Theodoret and others. The sense... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR MY PRAYER, O LORD, GIVE EAR TO MY SUPPLICATIONS,.... With these requests David begins the psalm; for it was to no purpose to pray and were heard; and for which he always appears to be concerned, as every good man will, and not to be heard only, but to be answered, as follows; IN THY FAITHFULNE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ENTER NOT INTO JUDGMENT WITH THY SERVANT,.... The house of judgment, as the Targum, or court of judicature; God is a Judge, and there is and will be a judgment, universal, righteous, and eternal; and there is a day fixed for it, and a judgment seat before which all must stand, and a law accordin... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE ENEMY HATH PERSECUTED MY SOUL,.... Which is to be connected with Psalms 143:1; and is a reason why he desires his prayer might be answered, seeing his enemy, either Saul, or Absalom his own son, persecuted him, or pursued him in order to take away his soul, or life; or Satan, the enemy and a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE IS MY SPIRIT OVERWHELMED WITHIN ME,.... Covered over with grief, borne down with sorrow, ready to sink and fail; Psalms 142:3; MY HEART WITHIN ME IS DESOLATE; destitute of the spirit and presence of God, and with respect to the exercise of grace, and filled with fears and misgivings; or... [ Continue Reading ]
I REMEMBER THE DAYS OF OLD,.... Former times he had read and heard of, in which the Lord appeared for his people that trusted in him; or the former part of his own life, his younger days, when the Lord delivered him from the lion and bear, and from the uncircumcised Philistine, whom he slew; and mad... [ Continue Reading ]
I STRETCH FORTH MY HANDS UNTO THEE,.... In prayer, as the Targum adds; for this is a prayer gesture, 1 Kings 8:38; both hands were stretched forth, earnestly imploring help, and ready to receive and embrace every blessing bestowed with thankfulness; MY SOUL [THIRSTETH] AFTER THEE AS A THIRSTY LAND.... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR ME SPEEDILY, O LORD: MY SPIRIT FAILETH,.... Ready to sink, swoon, and faint away, through the weight of the affliction on him, by reason of the persecution of his enemy, and for want of the divine Presence; hence the Targum renders it, "my spirit desireth thee;'' see Song of Solomon 5:6; and... [ Continue Reading ]
CAUSE ME TO HEAR THY LOVINGKINDNESS IN THE MORNING,.... Not only externally in the ministry of the word; but internally by the Spirit, so as to feel and perceive, and have some sensible experience of it; which he desired he might have in the morning, early, speedily, by the next morning; it being no... [ Continue Reading ]
DELIVER ME, O LORD, FROM MINE ENEMIES,.... Either Saul and his courtiers, or Absalom and the conspirators along with him; who were many, and lively and strong, stronger than he; and therefore God only could deliver him, and to him he sought for it, and not to men; and so deliverance from spiritual e... [ Continue Reading ]
TEACH ME TO DO THY WILL,.... Revealed in the word; which saints desire a greater knowledge of in order to do it, and in which they delight; and also are desirous of being taught, and to practise submission to the will of God under afflictions; which was now the case of the psalmist; FOR THOU [ART]... [ Continue Reading ]
QUICKEN ME, O LORD, FOR THY NAME'S SAKE,.... Being like one dead, Psalms 143:3; that is, revive and cheer his drooping spirit, ready to fail, being overwhelmed within him, Psalms 143:4; as well as revive the work of grace in him; and quicken his soul to the exercise of grace, and discharge of duty;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OF THY MERCY CUT OFF MINE ENEMIES,.... Which, though an act of vindictive justice, and terrible righteousness to them, would be an act of grace and mercy to him, who thereby would be delivered from them: or, "for thy grace" b; for the sake of it, for the honour of it, do this; those being, as Co... [ Continue Reading ]