Psalm 143:1

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 143:1-6

Here, I. David humbly begs to be heard (Ps. 143:1), not as if he questioned it, but he earnestly desired it, and was in care about it, for, having desired it, and was in care about it, for having directed his prayer, he looked up to see how it sped, Hab. 2:1. He is a suppliant to his God, and he begs that his requests may be granted: Hear my prayer; give ear to my supplications. He is an appellant against his persecutors, and he begs that his case may be brought to hearing and that God will... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 143:1

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 143:1

In thy faithfulness answer me - Thou hast promised to support me in my difficulties, and, though my children should forsake me, never to withdraw thy loving-kindness from me. See the present unnatural rebellion of my son. Lord, undertake for me! read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 143:1

Verse 1 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 143:1

Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications (comp. Psalms 28:2 ; Psalms 39:12 ; Psalms 54:2 ; Psalms 55:1 , etc.). In thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness . In thy faithfulness to thy promises, since thou hast promised to hear prayer, and in thy mere righteousness, since it is right and just that thou shouldest do so, hearken unto me. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 143:1

Man's hope in prayer lies in what God is. Righteousness is, from one point of view, that side of Divine justice which is turned towards good men; hence it comes to mean "beneficence." There is some good reason for associating this psalm with the experiences of David in the time of Absalom's rebellion. Delitzsch says, "The psalms of this time of persecution are distinguished from those of the persecution by Saul, by the deep melancholy into which the mourning of the dethroned king was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 143:1-12

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 143:1-12

The soul's appeal to God. The groundwork of the psalm is that of great affliction. The psalmist is in very sore trouble; the strongest expressions are used to convey the idea of complete outward disaster and inward dejection ( Psalms 143:3 , Psalms 143:4 ). There is only one respect in which things could be worse than they are—death itself, and the going down into the dark land of forgetfulness ( Psalms 143:7 ). But, as in the preceding psalm, his dire extremity is the very occasion... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 143:1-12

The cry of the overwhelmed spirit. I. ITS CHARACTERISTICS . 1. How earnest it is! The psalmist was not in any light, indifferent, or formal spirit when he uttered this prayer. Its intensity is evident all the way through. 2. And believing . "In thy faithfulness answer me" ( Psalms 143:1 ). He believed the promises of God, and claims their fulfillment, expects that what God has promised he will make good. Such expectation is all too rare; and its rarity accounts... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 143:1-12

A complaint and a prayer. This the last of the penitential psalms. The authorship and occasion of it uncertain. Pervaded by a deep tone of sorrow and anguish and a deep sense of sin. Roughly divided, the first part ( Psalms 143:1-6 ) contains the complaint ; and the second ( Psalms 143:7-12 ), the prayer founded on that complaint. I. THE COMPLAINT . 1. His enemies overwhelmed with a sense of desolation . ( Psalms 143:3 , Psalms 143:4 .) "His life was... read more

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