Psalms 143:1

Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. Psalms 143:1 -Introductory prayer (Psalms 143:1) for an answer according to God's faithfulness. Deprecating judgment, he complains of his distress (Psalms 143:3); the object of his prayer, and the ground of hope (Psalms 143:7). The phrase, "servant of the Lord" (; ) connects this psalm with...

1._Hear my prayer, O Jehovah _! It is evident that the oppression of his enemies must have been extreme, when David laments his case in such earnest and pathetic terms. The introductory words show that the grief he felt was great. His reason for speaking of the justice and faithfulness of God in connection we have shown elsewhere. Under the term _justice_, or _righteousness_, we are not to suppose that he speaks of merit, or hire, as some ignorantly imagine, but of that goodness of God which leads him to defend his people. To the same effect does he speak of God’s _truth _or _faithfulness_; for the best proof he can give of his faithfulness is in not forsaking those whom he has promised to help. In helping his people he shows himself to be a just and true God, both in not frustrating their expectation, and in so far as he shows in this extension of mercy what his nature is, that David ve...

1-6 We have no righteousness of our own to plead, therefore must plead God's righteousness, and the word of promise which he has freely given us, and caused us to hope in. David, before he prays for the removal of his trouble, prays for the pardon of his sin, and depends upon mercy alone for it. He bemoans the weight upon his mind from outward troubles. But he looks back, and remembers God's former appearance for his afflicted people, and for him in particular. He looks round, and notices the works of God. The more we consider the power of God, the less we shall fear the face or force of man. He looks up with earnest desires towards God and his favour. This is the best course we can take, when our spirits are overwhelmed. The believer will not forget, that in his best actions he is a sinner. Meditation and prayer will recover us from distresses; and then the mourning soul strives to ret...

PSALM CXLIII _The psalmist prays for mercy, and deprecates judgment_, 1, 2. _His persecutions_, 3. _His earnest prayer for deliverance_, 4-9. _Prays for God's quickening Spirit_, 10, 11. _And for the total discomfiture of his adversaries_, 12. NOTES ON PSALM CXLIII The _Hebrew_ and all the _Versions_ attribute this Psalm to _David_; and the _Vulgate, Septuagint, AEthiopic_ and _Arabic_ state that it was composed on the rebellion of his son Absalom: nor is there any thing in the Psalm that positively disagrees with this inscription. This is the last of the seven Psalms styled _penitential_....

HEAR MY PRAYER, O LORD, GIVE EAR ... - See Psalms 4:1, note; Psalms 5:1, note. IN THY FAITHFULNESS ANSWER ME - That is, Show thy faithfulness to thy promises. God had made gracious promises to David (compare Psalms 89:19), and he now pleads that he would remember those promises, and accomplish in his behalf what he had said he would. God has also made gracious promises to his people, and they may always plead those promises as a reason why they should be heard, and why their prayers should be answered. AND IN THY RIGHTEOUSNESS - Compare P

EXPOSITION ALMOST entirely a psalm of supplication, partly general (Psalms 143:1, Psalms 143:7), partly special (Psalms 143:2, Psalms 143:8). Psalms 143:3, however, give the grounds upon which the supplications are made; Psalms 143:3, Psalms 143:4 describing the psalmist's wretched condition; and...

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 FAITHFULNESS ANSWER ME, [AND] IN THY RIGHTEOUSNESS; he does not plead his own faith, with which he believed in God, as rama interprets it; though the prayer of faith is very effectual; but the faithfulness of God to his promises; he had promised to hear, answer, and deliver such as called on him in a time of trouble; and he is faithful that has promised, nor will he suffer his faithfulness to fail; he cannot deny himself; and on this the psalmist relied for an answer, as well as desired and expected it; not on account of his own righteousness, but either on account of the goodness and grace of God, some...

Psalms 143:1. _Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified._ That is, of course, apart from the wondrous system of justification by faith in Jesus Christ, whereby believers are made the righteousness of God in him. Apart from that righteousness, no man living can be justified in the sight of God. Psalms 143:3. _For 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. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate._ Are any of you passing through this trying experience? If s

PSALM 143-145 In Psalms 143:1 the enemy is mentioned again, the enemy who pursued David. “For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has smitten my life down to the ground; he has made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have long been dead.” How this again reminds us of the death experience of the pious remnant when the man of sin, the Antichrist will rule in Israel's land. Prayer for deliverance follows. Hear me speedily--Hide not Thy face from me--Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness--Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies, I flee unto Thee to hide me! The next Psalm riseth higher. Faith lays hold on God. Israel, as David did, will look in faith to Him who has the power to deliver His trusting ones. “My Goodness, and my Fortress; my high tower and my deliverer; my shield and He in whom I trust; who subdueth the peoples under me” (literal translation). They acknowledge before

CXLIII. There is no internal argument to justify the LXX title, A Ps. of [or by] David when his son persecuted him. On the contrary, it contains reminiscences of other and those late Psalms 143:3_ b_ is borrowed from Lamentations 3:6, for clearly the author of the latter passage is more vigorous and original than the author of the Ps. The theme is an ordinary one. The Psalmist prays for deliverance from his foes, who have brought him to death's door, and imprecates vengeance upon them. But we should notice one or two points important for religious history. The righteousness of God here and in other writers later than Deuteronomy is equivalent to faithfulness, and especially the fidelity with which God delivers and guides His people (_cf._...