Psalms 143:1-8

1 (142-1) <A psalm of David, when his son Absalom pursued him.> Hear, O Lord, my prayer: give ear to my supplication in thy truth: hear me in thy justice.

2 (142-2) And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight no man living shall be justified.

3 (142-3) For the enemy hath persecuted my soul: he hath brought down my life to the earth. He hath made me to dwell in darkness as those that have been dead of old:

4 (142-4) And my spirit is in anguish within me: my heart within me is troubled.

5 (142-5) I remembered the days of old, I meditated on all thy works: I meditated upon the works of thy hands.

6 (142-6) I stretched forth my hands to thee: my soul is as earth without water unto thee.

7 (142-7) Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit hath fainted away. Turn not away thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

8 (142-8) Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for in thee have I hoped. Make the way known to me, wherein I should walk: for I have lifted up my soul to thee.

Psalms 143:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 143

\\<>\\. This psalm was composed by David when he fled from Absalom his son, according to the title of it in Apollinarius, the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions; so R. Obadiah Gaon: and of the same opinion is Theodoret and others. The sense he had of his sins, and his deprecating God's entering into judgment with him for them, seems to confirm it; affliction from his own family for them being threatened him, 2Sa 12:9-11; though Kimchi thinks it was written on the same account as the former, and at the same time, namely, when he was persecuted by Saul; and what is said in Ps 142:2,4, seems to agree with it. The Syriac inscription is, ``when the Edomites came against him;'' which is very foreign, since these were subdued by him.