Psalms 43:3

3 1Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your 2holy hill and to your 3dwelling!

Psalms 43:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 43:3

O send out thy light and thy truth
By light is meant, not the law, as Arama; but rather, as some Jewish F16 interpreters understand it, the Messiah, the sun of righteousness, and light of the world; who is the author of all light, natural, spiritual, and eternal; and whose coming into the world is often signified by being sent into it. The Spirit of God also is the enlightener of men, both at first conversion and afterwards, and is sent down into their hearts as a comforter of them, by being the Spirit of adoption. The Gospel of Christ is a great and glorious light, which, with the Holy Ghost, is sent down from heaven; though perhaps here rather may be meant the light of God's countenance, the discoveries of his favour and lovingkindness, which produce light, life, joy, peace, and comfort: and by "truth" may be meant, either Christ himself, who is the truth; or the Gospel the word of truth; or rather the faithfulness of God in the fulfilment of his promises; and so the words are a petition that God would show forth his lovingkindness, and make good his word, which would be of the following use:

let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy
tabernacles;
that is, to the place of public worship, where the tabernacle was, the "hill" where it was, which seems to be Mount Zion; and is called "holy"; not that there was any real holiness in it; only relative, because of the worship of God in it; and the "tabernacle" is called "tabernacles", because of the holy place and the most holy place in it; the one being the first, the other the second tabernacle, as in ( Hebrews 9:2 Hebrews 9:3 ) ; and this hill and tabernacles represented the church and ordinances of God, to which such who are possessed of light and truth are led.


FOOTNOTES:

F16 Midrash Tillim, & Jarchi, in loc.

Psalms 43:3 In-Context

1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!
2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!
4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Cross References 3

  • 1. Psalms 40:11; Psalms 57:3
  • 2. See Psalms 2:6; Psalms 46:4
  • 3. Psalms 84:1
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.