Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 143
PSALM CXLIII.
Verſ. 1. IN thy faithfulneſſe anſwer me and in thy righteouſneſse.] See the note Pſal. 5.8. This is the laſt of thoſe that are uſually called the ſeven penitentiall Pſalms. See the Note on the Title Pſal. 6.
Verſ. 3. For the enemy hath perſecuted my ſoul, he hath ſmitten my life down to the ground, &c.] That is, he hath brought me to the very gates of death, to the pits brink, he hath brought me to ſo low a condition, that I look upon my ſelf no otherwiſe then as a dead man; ſee the Note Pſal. 7.5: he hath made me to dwell in darkneſſe, as thoſe that have been long dead; that is, he hath brought me into as hopeleſſe and deſperate a condition, as are thoſe that are in the darkneſſe of the grave, yea as thoſe that have been long ſince rotted in the grave; and I am as much diſregarded, in a manner, and forgotten, as they are; ſee the Notes alſo Pſal. 88.5, 6. Yet ſome underſtand all this of lying hid in dark caves of the earth, during the long time of his baniſhment.
Verſ. 4. Therefore is my ſpirit overwhelmed within me, &c.] See the Notes Pſal. 61.2, and 142.3: my heart within me is deſolate; that is, deſtitute of all ſtrength, and void of all comfort.
Verſ. 5. I remember the daies of old, &c.] See the Notes Pſal. 25.6, & 77.5, 11.
Verſ. 6. My ſoul thirſteth after thee, as a thirſty land, &c.] See the Notes Pſal. 42.2, and 63.1.
Verſ. 7. Hide not thy face from me, leſt I be like unto them that goe down into the pit.] See the Notes Pſal. 28.1, & 88.3.
Verſ. 8. Cauſe me to hear thy loving kindneſse in the morning.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, When in the morning I pray unto thee, let thy ſpirit inwardly aſſure me of thy mercy to me; or rather, let me ſpeedily find that thou haſt been mercifull to me: ſee the Notes Pſal. 5.3, & 51.8. That which he intended hereby might be, that he might ſpeedily, or in the morning, heare that Saul had given over ſeeking and purſuing after him.
Cauſe me to know the way wherein I should walk, &c.] That is, how I may in all things conform my ſelf to thy commandements; or rather, what courſe I may take, that I may eſcape out of the hands of mine enemies, who now know not which way to turn my ſelf: for I lift up my ſoul unto thee; ſee the Note Pſal. 25.1.
Verſ. 10. Teach me to doe thy will, for thou art my God, &c.] That is, Enable me to live ſo, that I may not doe any thing which is contrary to thy commands: & chiefly he intended hereby, that he might not be provoked by the injurious dealings of his adverſaries to ſpeak or do any thing that was evil, nor might be tempted by any ſinfull way to rid himſelf out of his troubles. Thy ſpirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightneſse; as if he had ſaid, Leave me not to mine own corrupt ſpirit, which will certainly miſlead me, neither ſuffer me to be ſeduced by wicked men, or by any unclean ſpirits, (which he might the rather intend, becauſe he knew how Saul had been troubled with an evil ſpirit ſent from the Lord, 1. Sam. 16.14.) but let thy bleſſed and holy ſpirit, the authour of all the good that is in thy people, lead me into the land of uprightneſſe, that is, into the way of upright walking, or, into ſuch a way or land or ground, where all is plain, & clear & even, (ſee the Note Pſal. 5.8.) that is, into ſuch a condition, where I may be amongſt thoſe that walk uprightly, or where there may be nothing to draw me aſide from walking uprightly, or to drive me into any crooked by-waies of wickedneſſe. For ſo this phraſe is uſed likewiſe Iſa. 26.10. Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteouſneſſe, in the land of uprightneſſe will he deal unjuſtly; that is, he will perſiſt in his wicked waies, though he live where righteouſneſſe is both taught & profeſſed & practiſed by others; or he will turn aſide out of Gods way where it is eveneſt & ſtraighteſt, plaineſt & eaſieſt, both to find & follow. This, I conceive, is the meaning of theſe words. Others underſtand by the land of uprightneſſe the city of Jeruſalem, where uprightneſſe was taught, & where God was ſincerely ſerved & worſhipped: & others underſtand thereby the ſtate of the Saints in heaven, wherein uprightneſſe ſhall dwell for ever; thoſe new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe, as S. Peter ſpeaketh 2 Pet. 3.13.
Verſ. 11. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy names ſake.] That is, Deliver me out of thoſe deſperate dangers, wherein I am no other then as a dead man in the eye of reaſon: ſee alſo the Note Pſal. 80.18.
Verſ. 12. Deſtroy all them that afflict my ſoul; for I am thy ſervant.] That is, Thou haſt choſen me to be thy ſervant, and I am deſirous to doe thee the beſt ſervice I am able, and therefore I know thou wilt take my part againſt mine enemies. See the Note Pſal. 86.16.