Wisdom & Poetry · Old Testament
Psalms 143
Psalm 143: a servant in darkness asks to hear lovingkindness in the morning
General context
The speaker asks the Lord to hear his prayer and answer in faithfulness and righteousness, and not to enter into judgment with his servant, since no man living is justified in the Lord's sight. He says the enemy has persecuted his soul, smitten his life to the ground and made him dwell in darkness like those long dead, so his spirit is overwhelmed and his heart desolate. He remembers the days of old, meditates on the Lord's works, stretches out his hands, and says his soul thirsts like a thirsty land. He asks to be heard quickly because his spirit fails, and that the Lord not hide his face, lest he be like those who go down into the pit. He asks to hear lovingkindness in the morning and to know the way he should walk, to be delivered from enemies, to be taught to do the Lord's will and led into the land of uprightness, to be quickened for the Lord's name's sake and brought out of trouble. He ends by asking that his enemies be cut off and all who afflict his soul destroyed, because he is the Lord's servant. Selah is printed at the end of verse 6.
Cited passages: Psalms 143:1, Psalms 143:2, Psalms 143:3, Psalms 143:4, Psalms 143:5, Psalms 143:6, Psalms 143:7, Psalms 143:8, Psalms 143:9, Psalms 143:10, Psalms 143:11, Psalms 143:12
Psalms 143 (KJV)
1Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
2And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
4Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
5I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
6I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
7Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
8Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
9Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
10Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
11Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.
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Historical context
The source prints no heading for this psalm; verse 1 begins with "Hear my prayer, O Lord", so no title, author or occasion is given and none is asserted. The speaker is a single "I" who calls himself "thy servant" at the start and the end and is not otherwise named. The enemy is singular in verse 3, "the enemy hath persecuted my soul", and plural in verses 9 and 12, "mine enemies", and the psalm gives no name or event. "Darkness, as those that have been long dead" and "the pit" describe the speaker's condition by comparison, and the text does not say what happened to him. No place is named; "the land of uprightness" is where the speaker asks to be led, not a location. The word Selah is printed once, at the end of verse 6, and the text does not explain it. Verse 2 states that no living man is justified in the Lord's sight; the psalm makes this the ground for asking that judgment not be entered, and does not develop it further.
Cited passages: Psalms 143:1, Psalms 143:2, Psalms 143:12, Psalms 143:3, Psalms 143:9, Psalms 143:10, Psalms 143:6
Literary context
The Selah at verse 6 splits the psalm into a description of need and a string of requests. Verses 1-6 move from plea to cause to effect: the enemy's persecution is the reason ("For"), the overwhelmed spirit is the result ("Therefore"), and the speaker's response is to remember, meditate and stretch out his hands. Verses 7-12 are almost all imperatives, one or two to a verse: hear, hide not, cause me to hear, cause me to know, deliver, teach, lead, quicken, bring out, cut off, destroy. Most requests carry a reason attached with "for": in thee do I trust, thou art my God, thy name's sake, I am thy servant; verse 7 gives its reason plainly, "my spirit faileth". Two images of dryness and darkness are set against morning: the soul as "a thirsty land", the dwelling "in darkness", and then "thy lovingkindness in the morning". The psalm closes with the enemies of verse 3 answered by a request for their destruction, and its final phrase returns to the word of verse 2, "thy servant".
Cited passages: Psalms 143:6, Psalms 143:3, Psalms 143:4, Psalms 143:5, Psalms 143:7, Psalms 143:8, Psalms 143:10, Psalms 143:11, Psalms 143:12
Key moments
- Enter not into judgment (Psalms 143:2). The speaker asks the Lord not to enter into judgment, since no living man is justified.
- Dwelling in darkness (Psalms 143:3). The enemy has smitten the speaker to the ground and made him dwell in darkness.
- A thirsty land (Psalms 143:6). The speaker stretches out his hands and says his soul thirsts like a thirsty land.
- Lovingkindness in the morning (Psalms 143:8). The speaker asks to hear lovingkindness in the morning and to know his way.
- Teach me to do thy will (Psalms 143:10). The speaker asks to be taught the Lord's will and led into the land of uprightness.
- Cut off mine enemies (Psalms 143:12). The speaker asks that his enemies be cut off because he is the Lord's servant.
For reflection
The speaker asks the Lord not to enter into judgment with him, since no one living is justified, and then asks the Lord to destroy those who afflict him. How does the psalm hold together the plea for mercy on himself and the plea for judgment on his enemies?
