Psalms 43

¹Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

Psa 43:1-5. Excepting the recurrence of the refrain, there is no good reason to suppose this a part of the preceding, though the scope is the same. It has always been placed separate. 1. Judge--or, “vindicate” (Psa 10:18). plead, &c.--(Psa 35:1). ungodly--neither in character or condition objects of God’s favor (compare Psa 4:3).

²For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

2. God of my strength--by covenant relation my stronghold (Psa 18:1). cast me off--in scorn. because--or, “in,” that is, in such circumstances of oppression.

³O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

3. light--as in Psa 27:1. truth--or, “faithfulness” (Psa 25:5), manifest it by fulfilling promises. Light and truth are personified as messengers who will bring him to the privileged place of worship. tabernacles--plural, in allusion to the various courts.

⁴Then 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.

4. the altar--as the chief place of worship. The mention of the harp suggests the prominence of praise in his offering.