Psalm 143

 #biblestudy #psalmsofdavid

Psalm 143 

Hear my prayer, O Lord;

    give ear to my pleas for mercy!

    In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!

vs.2 Enter not into judgment with your servant,

    for no one living is righteous before you.

***Question: 

What does David have in common with a rebel hanging on a cross? (Luke 23:39-43)

Answer:

~Both are aware of their own sin (both are rebels against God…as are all of us, before the Cross);

~Both are asking God for something they absolutely do not deserve and by no means could ever earn - Mercy.

This is the foundation of true Salvation. 

It is from this place that true gratitude is birthed and selflessness begins to arise.***

vs.3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;

    he has crushed my life to the ground;

    he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.

vs.4 Therefore my spirit faints within me;

    my heart within me is appalled.

***These are the wages of sin - for all humanity; 

And yet…Psalm 16:8-11***

vs.5 I remember the days of old;

    I meditate on all that you have done;

    I ponder the work of your hands.

***See 1Samuel 30:6

On this steep learning curve, David must encourage himself by his own words of faith, uttered in 1Samuel 17:45-47…He must REMEMBER this victory brought about by the LORD - and every victory since! This is how we overcome.***

And because of this…

vs.6 I stretch out my hands to you;

    my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. 

***See Matthew 5:6 

To hunger and thirst after God - no matter the circumstances - is ALWAYS a good thing: It means we are not hungering after things of this world, which cannot save.***

Selah

vs.7 Answer me quickly, O Lord!

    My spirit fails!

Hide not your face from me,

    lest I be like those who go down to the pit.

***For David, to be apart from God is like being in the belly of Death itself…Lord that I would desire you like this…with my whole life!

vs.8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,

    

FOR IN YOU I TRUST.

***From this point onwards the psalmist will take on a different tone: one of meekness and trust - in a LIFE LAID DOWN…As David realizes - and remembers: “God is my portion! Why am I afraid?”  

David knows that he is utterly powerless to help himself…but, has chosen to trust in God!  This is the power of surrender, and ironically, all Davidic Psalms coming after this one, will not be like those before:  They will be psalms, not of desperation and defeat, but of High Praise and Victory.***

vs.8 cont. Make me know the way I should go,

    for to YOU I lift up my soul.

Psalm 23:1; 

Psalm 51:12

vs.9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!

    I have fled to YOU for refuge.

Psalm 23:4-5(a)

Psalm 31:1-2

vs.10 Teach me to do YOUR will,

    for YOU are my God!

Psalm 25:4-5

Let YOUR good Spirit lead me

    on level ground! 

Psalm 40:1-2

vs.11 For YOUR name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life!

    In YOUR righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!

Psalm 23:3

Psalm 31:3

vs.12 And in YOUR steadfast love You WILL cut off my enemies,

(Sometimes we doubt, not so much that God is able…but that He is WILLING to help us)

Psalm 23:5

    and YOU will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,

Psalm 18:39-49

    for I am YOUR servant.

Psalm 89:20

Amen!

#KnowingJesus #FindingJesus #FollowingJesus