Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word
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⚙ Annotations & References ▾
Themes 6 ▾
Judgment 1 Prayer 1 Justice and Mercy 1 Truth 3 Worship 4 Joy 4
Historic voices 7 ▾
Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians 1× 4 Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans 2× 15, 17, 22 Homilies on the Gospel of John 1× 22 John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible 1× 1-5 Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary 1× 1 Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary 1× 2-4 Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament 1× 4
Manuscript witnesses 5 ▾
Codex Sinaiticus Aleph c. AD 330-360 Codex Vaticanus B c. AD 300-325 Codex Alexandrinus A c. AD 400-440 Aleppo Codex (Crown of Aleppo) c. AD 930 Leningrad Codex (Codex Leningradensis) AD 1008
Cross-references 63 ▾
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What is Psalms 43 about?

Continuing the same lament and sharing its refrain, this psalm pleads, 'Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation.' The psalmist asks God to send out His light and His truth to lead him back to the holy hill and the altar of God, his exceeding joy. Once more he questions his cast-down soul and bids it hope in God, whom he will yet praise. Together with the psalm before it, this prayer turns grief toward the settled expectation of again worshiping in God's presence.

Historical backdrop

These are the songbook of a nation, sung across a thousand years of Israel's worship, from Moses in the wilderness to the exiles returned from Babylon. They were carried from the tabernacle to Solomon's temple to the second temple rebuilt under Persia, set to the lyre and the harp and the clash of cymbals in the courts of the LORD.

Matthew Henry on Psalms 43
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 43
The Church Fathers on Psalms 43
Cited by the confessions

Psalms 43

Psalms Chapter 43
43
1Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: Oh deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
2For thou art the God of my strength; why hast thou cast me off? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
3Oh send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me: Let them bring me unto thy holy hill, And to thy tabernacles.
4Then will I go unto the altar of God, Unto God my exceeding joy; And upon the harp will I praise thee, O God, my God.
5Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, Who isthe help of my countenance, and my God.
← Chapter 42 Chapter 44 →
What is Psalms 43 about?

Continuing the same lament and sharing its refrain, this psalm pleads, 'Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation.' The psalmist asks God to send out His light and His truth to lead him back to the holy hill and the altar of God, his exceeding joy. Once more he questions his cast-down soul and bids it hope in God, whom he will yet praise. Together with the psalm before it, this prayer turns grief toward the settled expectation of again worshiping in God's presence.