Psalms 43:1

PSALM 43

Psalms 43:1-2

"Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation:

Oh deliver men from the deceitful and unjust man.

For thou art the God of my strength; why hast thou cast me off?.

Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"

"Against an ungodly nation" (Psalms 43:1). The ungodly nation was either Assyria which captivated Northern Israel, or Babylon which made captives of Judaea, certainly not the Israel of God. As Leupold pointed out, "The word for nation here is `[~goy],' which was commonly used for hostile Gentiles."[15]

"The deceitful and unjust man" (Psalms 43:1). This is a reference to the king of Babylon or Assyria. Leupold applied this to Absalom; but we cannot imagine any group of Israelite singers accepting these words as applicable to David's beloved son Absalom. Oh yes, Absalom was as wicked as any man could possibly be; but David loved him in spite of this, even giving orders to the military to "deal tenderly" with him. Besides, this deceitful and unjust man was "an oppressor" of the psalmist (Psalms 42:9 and Psalms 43:2); and Absalom, despite his intentions was never in a position to "oppress" David.