Bible Commentaries
Psalms 43

Verse 1

Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

Judge me, O God — This psalm is, as it were, an epitome or an appendix to the former, and little differing in words or matter.

Plead my cause — See Psalms 35:1 .

Against an ungodly nation — Heb. a nation not mild or merciful; so he calleth Absalom’s complices, who sought and would have sucked his blood. Such are a people of God’s wrath and of his curse.

O deliver me, … — From Absalom, or Ahithophel, or the whole faction.

Verse 2

For thou [art] the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

For thou art the God of my strength — As being in covenant with me, both offensive and defensive. In the Lord Jehovah is a Rock of ages, or everlasting strength, Isaiah 26:4 , for God of my strength, Psalms 42:9 , is my rock.

Why go I mourning — See Psalms 42:9 .

Verse 3

O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

O send out thy light — i.e. Thy comforting grace, opposed to that, Psalms 43:2 , I go mourning, or in black.

And thy truth — i.e. Thy faithfulness, opposed to the deceitful man, Psalms 43:1 . The Rabbis interpret light and truth by Christ and Elijah; the Arabic maketh it a prayer for the Jews’ conversion, Lux et veritas piorum comites.

Yet them bring me unto thy holy hill — Zion, the place of holy assemblies for God’s service, Iterum commendatur hic dignitas ministerii publici: Vae igitur illis qui caducorum bolorum usum reditaunt sacri ministerii iactura, qui conciones sacras et sacramenta ultro negligunt, …

And to thy tabernacles — So called, either because it was set up at sundry times in sundry places, while it was transportative; or else because it was parted by veils into several rooms, Hebrews 9:2-3 .

Verse 4

Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.

Then will I go unto the altar of God — Not without store of sacrifices. God’s service is now nothing so costly; and should, therefore, be more cheerfully performed. Heathens had their altars, …, all save the Persians.

Verse 5

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, [who is] the health of my countenance, and my God.

Why art thou bowed down, … — See Psalms 42:5 ; Psalms 42:11 .