Psalm 143:2

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 143:2

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 according to which all must be judged; but the psalmist knew he was but a man, and could not contend with God; and a sinful creature, and could not answer him for one of a thousand faults committed by... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 143:2

Enter not into judgment - תבוא אל al tabo . Do not come into court, either as a Witness against me, or as a Judge, else I am ruined; for thou hast seen all my ways that they are evil, and thy justice requires thee to punish me. Nor can any soul that has ever lived be justified in the sight of thy justice and righteousness. Had I my desert from thee, I should have worse than even my unnatural son intends me. O what a relief is Jesus crucified to a soul in such circumstances! read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 143:2

Verse 2 2.And enter not into judgment, (249) etc. I have hinted already why he proceeds to pray for pardon. When overtaken by adversity, we are ever to conclude that it is a rod of correction sent by God to stir us up to pray. Although he is far from taking pleasure in our trials, it is certain that our sins are the cause of his dealing towards us with this severity. While those to whom David was opposed were wicked men, and he was perfectly conscious of the rectitude of his cause as regarded... 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 143:2

And enter not into judgment with thy servant . The psalmist, having touched the point of abstract justice, shrinks from pressing it. He knows that he is not "righteous before God," and that his life and conduct "cannot endure the severity of God's judgment" (Art. XII .). He therefore "deprecates a strictly retributive treatment" (Cheyne). For in thy sight shall no man living be justified (comp. Psalms 130:3 ; and see also Job 4:17-19 ; Job 9:2 ; Job 15:14 ; Job 25:4 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 143:2

Prayer cannot be based on man's rights. The prayer of a being who had kept his rights can be. We are able to conceive that the prayers of the Lord Jesus Christ were acceptable to God when presented on the ground of his own right to be heard. He never prayed in any other name than his own. I. MAN HAS , IN A SENSE , LOST HIS RIGHTS . It is necessary to deal with this point carefully. Things are virtually lost when they are undervalued, put aside, and unused. They remain,... read more

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