Cut off mine enemies ] Who, if they succeed, will destroy the very form of godliness. The steps he has already taken show that even morality shall have no countenance, if Absalom reign.

I am thy servant. ] Whoever is disloyal to me, I will love and serve thee.

For a full explanation of this Psalm, as applied to penitents, see the analysis.

ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND FORTY-THIRD PSALM

David being driven from Jerusalem by his son Absalom, wisely calls to mind his sin, as being the cause of it.

This Psalm has four parts: - I. A prayer for remission of sin, grounded on God's promise, ver. 1; not on his own worthiness, ver. 2.

II. A narration of the sad state of his affairs, ver. 3, 4.

III. The comfort he received in his sad condition, and whence, ver. 5, 6.

IV. His petition, containing many particulars and reasons, ver. 7-12.

I. He prays for audience: "Hear my prayer, O Lord," &c. He does not plainly express the matter he prayed for; but it may be gathered from the context that it was for remission of sin.

1. "In thy faithfulness," &c. Thou art a faithful God, and hast promised to pardon the penitent. I am a penitent; have mercy on me.

2. "And in thy righteousness," &c. Which here signifies mercy, loving-kindness.

This sense appears more plainly from the next verse.

1. "And enter not into judgment," &c. Call me not to a strict account at the bar of thy justice. This he deprecates; so that Justitia in the former verse could not be taken for that justice.

2. "For in thy sight," &c. Not I, nor any other man: pardon me, then, for the sake of thy mercy and promise, not my merits.

II. And now he enters upon the narration of his sad condition.

1. "For the enemy hath persecuted," &c. My son Absalom seeks my life: but it was Satan who enticed me to adultery and homicide.

2. "He hath smitten," &c. Humbled me; made me a lover of earth, vile in thy sight.

3. "He hath made me to dwell," &c. After Satan had entangled me with earthly pleasures, I was in spiritual darkness, and saw not the way of life, any more than those who have been long dead.

The effect this darkness produced was fear and consternation.

1. "Therefore is my spirit," &c. I suffered a kind of swoon in my soul; I was ready to faint when I considered thy holiness and my impurity.

2. "My heart within me," &c. Far from comfort in heavy trouble.

III. In this sadness of heart and mind: - 1. "I remember the days of old," &c. Thy past kindness to me and to others.

2. "I meditate," &c. I did not slightly run them over, but pondered on them.

And I derived great profit from my meditation; for, 1. "I stretch forth my hands," &c. I began earnestly to pray to thee.

2. "My soul thirsteth," &c. After thy righteousness, as the dry land wanting water. For as the earth without rain has no consistence, but is pulverized; so the soul not moistened with the grace of God falls on the right and left hand into temptation, and brings forth no fruit to God's glory.

IV. The sad case in which David was, upon a sense of God's indignation, makes him seek out a remedy.

1. "Hear me speedily," &c. And his reason for this is the sad condition in which he was till God was pacified for his sin.

2. "Hide not thy face," &c. Thy presence, thy favour.

His next petition resembles the former in substance.

1. "Cause me to hear," &c. Thy pardoning mercy out of thy word; it is thy Spirit which must work with it to save me.

2. "In the morning," &c. Betimes, speedily, quickly, &c.

3. His reason: "For in thee do I trust," &c. I did not let go my hold even in my extremity; but still hoped against hope.

His third petition is: - 1. "Cause me to know," &c. The psalmist. being truly penitent, fears to relapse into his pardoned sin, and prays to God for grace and direction.

2. His reason: "For I lift up my soul," &c. My purpose, to serve thee.

His fourth petition is: - 1. "Deliver me, O Lord," &c. From the devil and all his temptations.

2. His reason: "I flee unto thee," &c. From them.

His fifth petition resembles his third.

1. "Teach me to do thy will," &c. Both by an active and passive obedience may I know thy will perfectly; in adversity, to submit to it; in prosperity, to do it without pride or presumption.

2. His reason: "For thou art my God." Who hast promised me thy help; and from whom all my good proceeds, being and well- being.

His sixth petition: "Thy Spirit is good." Not mine. Let then thy good Spirit instruct and lead me in the right way.

His seventh petition is: - 1. "Quicken me, O Lord," &c. Restore life; justify me fully.

2. "For thy name's sake." Not my merits, but thy mercy, and the glory that will accrue to thy name in pardoning a penitent soul.

3. He goes on: "For thy righteousness' sake," &c. Freedom he desires; but still at the hands of God's infinite mercy.

His last petition is for the destruction of Satan's kingdom.

1. "Of thy mercy cut off mine enemies," &c.