Psalm 143— David had reached the end of the line; no more
reserve or resources (Vv.3-4). But in a desperate situation one refuge remains:
God Himself (Vv.5-12). “O Lord…teach
me…deliver me…lead me…bring me out of trouble.”
Psalm 143 –
Hope for the Persecuted Soul
The title of this psalm is simply, “A Psalm of David.” It is another cry to
God from a time of crisis and affliction because of David’s many enemies. It is
numbered among the seven Penitential Psalms – songs of confession and humility
before God. Psalm 143 does not seem to belong to this group as much as the
others do (Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, and 130), but 143:2 is a strong and clear
statement about the unrighteousness of mankind.
It was a custom in the early church to sing these
psalms on Ash Wednesday, the Wednesday six weeks before Easter.
The Psalm is outlines as follows:
A.
Pleading for
God’s help in a time of crisis. Vv. 1-7
B.
The plea repeated
again. Vv. 8-12
Collect for Psalm 143: Lord Jesus, you bring the first light of dawn to those who dwell in darkness and make your love known to them. Enter not into judgment against your servants, but let your Spirit guide us into the land of justice, where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, now and forever. [3]-31 May, 2022
[1] When the Helper Comes, copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[3] Collect for Psalm 143, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. I © 1994 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
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