Psalm 143
This is the seventh and last of the "penitential psalms" (see on Ps. 6). It is included primarily because David felt he needed to confess sins that were keeping him from enjoying God's help and blessing (vv. 1–2). He had concluded that the suffering he was experiencing from the attacks of the enemy were actually God's chastening, so he asked God for mercy. It is true that the Lord can use painful circumstances and difficult people to bring us to repentance, but sometimes those very things are God's "tools" to polish and mature us, not to punish us. In this psalm, David presents many requests to the Lord, all of which may be summarized in two prayers: "Hear me" (vv. 1–6) and "Answer me" (vv. 7–12). This kind of praying is a good example for us to follow.
"Answer Me"—Wait for the Answer in Expectation (vv. 7–12) What were the answers for which David was waiting
Psalm 143—144
then he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months. By the time he became king of all the tribes and made Jerusalem his capital, he had seen many battles and would fight many more. But God prepares and equips His leaders, and David had no fear of the future (18:34, 45; 55:21; 78:9). (For the image of God as Rock and fortress, see 18:2, and as shield, see 3:3.) The phrase "my goodness" (kjv) is translated "my lovingkindness" in the New American Standard Bible and "my loving God" in the New International Version. (See 18:2, 47.) The associating of love and war is unusual, but "You who love the Lord, hate evil" (97:10 nkjv). David inherited twelve tribes that did not always get along with each other, and during the years immediately following the death of King Saul, tribal rivalry and conflict created numerous problems. But God brought about political unity within the nation and gave David victory against the enemies outside the nation (18:47–48).
anxiously? The same answers we want to receive today. For one thing, we want to see God's face (v. 7). David had often heard the priestly benediction declare that God's face would shine upon His people in gracious blessing (Num. 6:22–27), but if He was displeased, He would hide His face from them (10:1; 13:1; 69:17; 102:2). To know the shining of His face means to walk in the light of His countenance and enjoy the smile of God upon our lives, but the absence of that blessing was like a living death (28:1).
We also want to hear God's Word (v. 8). To see His smile and hear His voice gives us the strength we need to overcome the enemy. David moved from the darkness (v. 3) to the morning and the dawning of a new day (5:3; 30:5; 59:16; 88:13; 130:6; 90:14). The Word reminded him of God's unfailing love, and the Word strengthened his faith (Rom. 10:17) and gave him guidance on the dangerous path he had to take from the cave to the crown.
We also want the blessing of experiencing the protection of God (v. 9). Jehovah was David's "Rock" (18:2, 31, 46; 19:14), and he hid himself in "the cleft of the Rock" (Ex. 33:22) and was safe from the enemy. "Rock of ages / Cleft for me / Let me hide myself in Thee." Another answer we receive from the Lord is a knowledge of the will of God (v.10). His good Spirit (Neh. 9:20) teaches us from the Word and shows us the path we should take (119:105). A knowledge of God's will gives us confidence in the difficulties of life; it keeps us going when the going gets tough. Finally, God answers prayer by helping us bring glory to His great name (vv. 11–12). "For thy name's sake" was the great motivation of David's life and ministry (see 1 Sam. 17:26, 36, 45–47). "Hallowed be thy name" is the first request in the Lord's Prayer, and it ought to be the motivation of all our prayers. David knew that he had a great work to do for the Lord, and he depended on the Lord to help him accomplish it and bring honor to His name.
David's position and reputation did not go to his head, for he asked, "Who am I that God should do this for me?" The statements in verses 3–4 remind us of 8:4, and this is a reminder that we need, especially when we think we can handle life without trusting God. The Hebrew word translated "breath" is habel, the name of one of Adam's sons (Abel), and the word translated "vanity" thirty-eight times in Ecclesiastes. (See also 39:4–6, 22; 62:9; 78:33; 94:11.) The "shadow" image is found in 102:11; 109:23; Job 8:9 and 14:2; and Ecclesiastes 6:12 and 8:13. How helpless we are without the Lord!
The Mighty God Who Delivers Us Victoriously (vv. 5–11) David used these same vivid images in 18:8–9, 14–17, 45, and 50. The Jewish people did not forget God's dramatic appearance at Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:18–25; 20:18–21), but here the mountains and "great waters" seem to stand for the enemies of Israel (104:32; Isa. 8:7; 59:19; 64:1–5; Mic. 1:4; Nah. 1:5; Hab. 3:10). The "strange children" of verse 7 (kjv) are the outsiders who attacked Israel, the "aliens and foreigners." Some of them also tried to get into the nation and cause trouble (v. 11). They told lies and took oaths they never meant to keep. When they lifted their right hand in an oath, it was only deception. As he contemplated God's power and mercy, David sang a new song to the Lord (see 33:3), for he had experienced God's help in a new way, learned afresh the wonderful character of the Lord, and was making a new beginning as king of the nation. The plural "kings" refers to David's successors.