1 Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
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.
4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
7 Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
9 Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
11 Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.
Psalm 143, a part of the Book of Psalms in the King James Version of the Holy Bible, is a profound and emotional supplication to God. It is a plea for mercy, guidance, and deliverance from the troubles that beset the psalmist. This psalm is traditionally attributed to King David during a time of great distress, and it encapsulates the universal human experience of suffering and the longing for divine intervention. The central themes of this psalm are the need for divine mercy, the struggle against enemies, the longing for God's presence, and the desire for guidance and deliverance.
Psalm 143 begins with a plea for divine mercy. The psalmist cries out to God, asking Him to hear his prayers, to listen to his supplications, and to answer him in His faithfulness and righteousness. This opening verse establishes the psalmist's absolute reliance on God's mercy. He acknowledges his unworthiness and the impossibility of standing righteous before God without His mercy. The psalmist says, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." This verse reflects the human condition of sinfulness and the need for divine mercy.
The psalmist is in a state of distress because of his enemies. He feels persecuted and overwhelmed, his spirit is faint within him, and his heart within him is desolate. He likens his situation to being in dark places, like those who have long been dead. This theme of struggle against enemies is a recurring theme in many of David's psalms. It signifies not just physical enemies but also spiritual enemies such as sin, despair, and death.
In response to his suffering, the psalmist expresses a deep longing for God's presence. He remembers the days of old, meditates on all God's works, and muses on the work of His hands. He stretches forth his hands unto God, and his soul thirsts for God as a parched land thirsts for water. This longing for God's presence, for the comfort and assurance of His love, is a central theme in the psalm. It is a response to suffering that turns the psalmist towards God, and it is a testament to the enduring faith of the psalmist even in times of distress.
The psalmist asks God to hear his prayer quickly, for his spirit fails. He asks God not to hide His face from him, lest he be like those who go down into the pit. He asks God to cause him to hear His lovingkindness in the morning, for he trusts in Him. He asks God to show him the way wherein he should walk, for he lifts up his soul unto Him. He asks God to deliver him from his enemies, for he flees unto Him to hide him. He asks God to teach him to do His will, for He is his God. He asks God to lead him into the land of uprightness. Finally, he asks God to quicken him, for His name's sake, and for His righteousness' sake, to bring his soul out of trouble.
This series of pleas and supplications encapsulates the psalmist's deep desire for divine guidance and deliverance. He acknowledges his helplessness and places his complete trust in God. He seeks not just physical deliverance from his enemies but also spiritual deliverance - the deliverance of his soul.
Psalm 143, with its themes of the need for divine mercy, the struggle against enemies, the longing for God's presence, and the desire for guidance and deliverance, encapsulates the universal human experience. It is a testament to the struggles that we all face, the feelings of despair that can sometimes overwhelm us, and the deep longing for divine intervention and deliverance. But more than that, it is a testament to the enduring faith that sustains us in times of distress, the faith that turns us towards God, and the faith that enables us to place our complete trust in Him.
The psalmist's cry for mercy, his acknowledgment of his sinfulness, his feelings of being overwhelmed by his enemies, his longing for God's presence, and his desire for guidance and deliverance - all these resonate with our own experiences. They remind us of our own need for divine mercy, our own struggles with sin and despair, our own longing for God's presence, and our own desire for guidance and deliverance. They remind us of our own frailty and our own need for God's grace.
But more than that, they remind us of the faith that sustains us. The faith that, like the psalmist, turns us towards God in times of distress. The faith that enables us to place our complete trust in Him. The faith that enables us to say, with the psalmist, "Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness."
In the end, Psalm 143 is not just a psalm of distress and supplication. It is also a psalm of faith and trust. It is a testament to the enduring faith that sustains us in times of distress, the faith that turns us towards God, and the faith that enables us to place our complete trust in Him. It is a testament to the enduring human spirit, and to the enduring grace of God.
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