Psalm 143: Lessons For Finding Encouragement In Jesus After Sin
Introduction: When you sin, God promises that He will never leave nor forsake you (Dt. 13:5; Heb. 13:5). Through Jesus, you can also find forgiveness after you sin (1 Jo. 1:9). But you can still suffer long-term consequences from sin after you are forgiven. For example, God spared David from death after he repented of his adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah (2 Sam. 12:13). But the prophet Samuel warned that the “sword” would never depart from his house (2 Sam. 12:10-12). Among other consequences, his son Absalom led a coup d'état (2 Sam. 15-19). In Psalm 143, David cried out for relief from his sins as his enemies closed in on him. Thus, Augustine of Hippo, aka St. Augustine (354 – 430 A.D.), believed that David wrote Psalm 143 as Absalom’s army tried to hunt him down and kill him.1 The post-exile Jews, to whom the Psalter’s final collection of psalms was primarily addressed, also needed encouragement as they struggled with the long-term consequences of their sins. God freed them from Babylonian captivity. But they remained subjects of the Persian empire with enemies all around them. In a similar way, many believers in Jesus Christ also struggle with the long-term consequences of sin after Jesus forgives them. Through David’s cry for help as his enemies tried to kill him, the Bible reveals several lessons for finding encouragement in Jesus after you sin. These include: (1) your confession of sin, (2) dependence upon Jesus’ light, (3) building your faith by meditating on His faithfulness, (4) placing your trust in His path, (5) obeying the Holy Spirit’s guidance, (6) focusing on bringing glory to Jesus, and (7) seeking deliverance through Jesus.
First, unconfessed sin can hinder your prayers. Thus, David began his prayer by confessing that no one is righteous on their own. As part of your prayers for help, you should also confess and repent of your sins. Second, David cried out to God that his enemies had surrounded him, and he was in darkness. When you are trapped in the darkness, Jesus also wants you to depend upon His light for guidance and for relief. Third, to build his faith, David meditated on the days of old and the many examples of God’s faithfulness in his life. You can also bolster your faith by studying and meditating on Jesus’ faithfulness in your life and in His Word. Fourth, David declared his trust in God and pleaded with God to show him the right path to find protection. When you struggle from the consequences of sin, Jesus also wants you to place your trust in Him to show you the right path. Fifth, David also had the faith to know that if he obeyed God’s will, the Spirit would lead him to safety. When you struggle from the consequences of sin, the Holy Spirit will also guide you to find encouragement or protection if you obey His direction. Sixth, because God had made a covenant with David, David prayed for God’s name to be glorified through his deliverance. When you struggle from the consequences of sin, Jesus also wants you to focus on His glory. He will then revive and strengthen you. Finally, David pleaded for God’s deliverance from his enemies. Jesus also wants you to turn to Him for deliverance.
1. Confession: Confess Your Sins Or Your Prayers May Be Hindered. Ps. 143:1-2.
God wants you to confess and repent of your sins. Because he knew that God would not hear the prayers of an unrepentant sinner, David confessed that no person was righteous before God without His atonement. “A Psalm of David. 1 Hear my prayer, Lord, listen to my pleadings! Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness! 2 And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for no person living is righteous in Your sight.” (Ps. 143:1-2). “We have no righteousness of our own to plead, therefore must plead God’s righteousness, and the word of promise which he has freely given us, and caused us to hope in. David, before he prays for the removal of his trouble, prays for the pardon of his sin, and depends upon mercy alone for it.” (Matthew Henry on Ps. 143:1-2).2
David cried out to God to forgive and hear his prayers when his kingdom was at risk3
David’s seven deadly sins with Bathsheba. If Psalm 143 took place during David’s reign as king, he suffered from having broken at least seven of God’s Ten Commandments through his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah (2 Sam. 11). First, by lusting after his neighbor’s wife, he violated God’s Tenth Commandment against coveting (Ex. 20:17; Dt. 5:21). Second, by repeatedly giving into the lusts of his flesh and taking on multiple wives, he made an idol out of an attractive woman and violated God’s Second Commandment (Ex. 20:4-5; Dt. 5:8-9). Third, by sleeping with a married woman, he violated God’s Seventh Commandment against adultery (Ex. 20:14; Dt. 5:18). Fourth, he violate God’s Sixth Commandment against murder when he killed Uriah (Ex. 20:13; Dt. 5:17). Fifth, by engaging in lies and deceit to cover up his neighbor Uriah’s murder, he violated God’s Ninth Commandment against bearing false witness (Ex. 20:16; Dt. 5:20). Sixth, after he later married Bathsheba, he violated God’s law against a leader having more than one wife: “He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; . . ..” (Dt. 17:17(a)). He further violated God’s purpose of marriage by joining himself together by more than one other person (Matt. 19:4-6; 1 Tim. 3:2). To become king, he would have made a public vow to uphold the Torah. By breaking his vow before God, David also profaned His holy name. He was not “swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God.” (Lev. 19:12). Thus, his actions also violated the Third Commandment: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” (Ex. 20:7; Dt. 5:11). Finally, as God’s appointed king, David violated the Fifth Commandment by dishonoring his heavenly Father. “Honor your father. . .” (Ex. 20:12; Dt. 5:16). Even if he only broke one Commandment, he would have broken them all: “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” (Jam. 2:10). David came to appreciate and write psalms about God’s mercy and grace only after God showed him his sins. David was a man after God’s heart not because he was perfect. Instead, he was a godly man because he repented of his sins.
Cry out to God when you are in need. David cried out: “1 Hear my prayer, Lord, listen to my pleadings! Answer me …” (Ps. 143:1). The psalmists began many of their psalms with similar requests for God to “hear” their prayers: “A Psalm of David. 1 Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.” (Ps. 4:1). “I have called upon You, for You will answer me, God; incline Your ear to me, hear my speech.” (Ps. 17:6). “Hear, LORD, when I cry with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me.” (Ps. 27:7). “Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly; be a rock of strength for me, a stronghold to save me.” (Ps. 31:2). “Listen to my prayer, God; and do not hide Yourself from my pleading.” (Ps. 55:1). “A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, God; give Your attention to my prayer.” (Ps. 61:1). “Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry!” (Ps. 88:2). “A Prayer of David. Incline Your ear, Lord, and answer me;” (Ps. 86:1). “Give Your attention to my cry, for I have been brought very low; rescue me from my persecutors, …” (Ps. 142:6).
Sin has separated mankind from God. David knew that his sins had separated him from God: “2 And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for no person living is righteous in Your sight.” (Ps. 143:2). This truth about sin is repeated throughout the Bible. “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God . . .” (Is. 59:2(a)). God has looked down from heaven and observed that not one person is holy and without sin: “[I]t is written, ‘There is none righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.”’ (Rom. 3:10-11). “[T]here is no one who does good.” (Ps. 14:1; 53:1). “LORD God of Israel, You are righteous, for we have been left an escaped remnant, as it is this day; behold, we are before You in our guilt, for no one can stand before You because of this.” (Ezra 9:15). “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 Jo. 1:8). Thus, if you say that you are going to heaven because you are a good person, God’s truth is not within you.
Sin can also “hinder” your prayers to God. In the Old Testament, God warned that He would not hear the prayers of sinners because of the separation caused by sin: “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.” (Is. 1:15). “And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken falsehood, your tongue mutters wickedness.” (Is. 59:2-3(b)). “We know that God doesn't listen to sinners, but He does listen to anyone who worships Him and does His will.” (Jo. 9:31; Prov. 15:29; 8:9; Ps. 66:18). In the New Testament, He warns that sin can “hinder” a believer’s prayers (1 Pet. 3:7). Thus, you must allow Jesus to cleanse you of your sins.
Confess and repent of your sins. David knew that he could not atone on his own for his sins. We are no different. Thus, Jesus began His ministry with a call to repentance. “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”’ (Matt. 4:17). Jesus came “saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”’ (Mk. 1:15). His disciples also began their ministry with a call to repentance: “Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”’ (Acts 2:38). If you confess your sins, Jesus will forgive you: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jo. 1:9). Thus, everyone needs Jesus.
You must also wash your sins by reading the Word and confessing your sins. Jesus also makes clear that believers need to be washed of their sins even after finding His salvation. At the Last Supper, Peter initially refused Jesus’ offer to wash his feet. Jesus responded by rebuking him: “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” (Jo. 13:8). Peter then asked Jesus to wash his feet, hands, and head. Jesus responded: “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet.” (Jo. 13:10). In other words, Jesus died once for our sins, but our flesh gets dirty each day and must still be washed. Thus, we must cleanse our daily sins by reading God’s Word to first expose our sins: “so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word …” (Eph. 5:26). Second, we must confess the sins that the Word reveals to us (1 Jo. 1:9). Are you regularly reading the Word and then confessing any sins the Holy Spirit reveals to you?
2. Jesus’ Light: When You are in Darkness, Depend Upon Jesus’ Light For Guidance and For Relief From the Long-Term Consequences of Sin. Ps. 143:3-4.
When you suffer from the consequences of sin, depend upon Jesus’ light for relief. David saw a direct connection between his prior sins and the attacks he encountered (2 Sam. 12:10-12). Thus, he turned to God to save him. “3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead. 4 Therefore my spirit feels weak within me; my heart is appalled within me.” (Ps. 143:3-4). “The reason for his prayer. The extremity of his present sufferings seems to be proof that God is calling him to account and punishing him for his sins with strict severity.” (Alexander Francis Kirkpatrick on Ps. 143:3-4).4
Depend upon Jesus for deliverance when you suffer from the consequences of sin. Possibly in connection with Absalom’s coup d'état (2 Sam. 15-19), David’s enemies had persecuted him and left him in a dark place (Ps. 143:3). In other psalms, David also cried out when he felt forsaken because of his sins. “A Psalm of David. How long, LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (Ps. 13:1). “A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my help are the words of my groaning.” (Ps. 22:1). “I will say to God my rock, ‘Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”’ (Ps. 42:9). Jeremiah also cried out for Israel as it suffered from the consequences of its sins. “He has made me live in dark places, like those who have long been dead. He has walled me in so that I cannot go out; He has made my chain heavy. Even when I cry out and call for help, He shuts out my prayer.” (Lam. 3:6-8). Although Job did not suffer because of his sins, he still cried out to God and pleaded for deliverance from his pain. “When I expected good, evil came; when I waited for light, darkness came. I am seething within and cannot rest; days of misery confront me.” (Job 30:26-27).
Depend upon God, and He will help you. David knew that God protected him when he depended upon Him for relief. “When he falls, he will not be hurled down, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.” (Ps. 37:24). “Do not rejoice over me, enemy of mine. Though I fall I will rise; though I live in darkness, the LORD is a light for me.” (Micah 7:8). God also promises to strengthen you when you depend upon Him. ‘“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.”’ (Is. 41:10).
Turn to Jesus’ light to guide you when you are in darkness5
When you are in darkness, Jesus offers His light. For those trapped in the darkness of sin, Isaiah promised “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.” (Is. 9:2). Jesus came to fulfill this promise. “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.” (Jo. 1:4-5). “for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.” (Eph. 5:8).
3. Faith: When You Suffer From the Long-Term Consequences of Sin, Build Your Faith By Studying and Meditating on Jesus’ Faithfulness. Ps. 143:5-6.
God wants you to remember His faithfulness. To boost his faith, David looked back on his life and meditated on God’s ongoing faithfulness to save both him and His people: “5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your accomplishments; I reflect on the work of Your hands. 6 I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You, like a weary land. Selah” (Ps. 143:5-6). “Former times he had read and heard of, in which the Lord appeared for his people that trusted in him; or the former part of his own life, his younger days, when the Lord delivered him from the lion and bear, and from the uncircumcised Philistine, whom he slew; and made him victorious in battles, and preserved him from the rage and malice of Saul. If this was written on account of Absalom, those times of deliverance he called to mind, in order to encourage his faith and hope, and cheer his drooping spirits;” (John Gill’s Exposition on the Bible, Ps. 143:5).6
Meditate on God’s faithfulness to you and to others in His Word. David bolstered his faith by meditating on God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises (Ps. 143:5-6). Other psalmists also found comfort by meditating on God’s works and His faithfulness. “I shall remember the deeds of the LORD; I will certainly remember Your wonders of old. I will meditate on all Your work, and on Your deeds with thanksgiving.” (Ps. 77:11-12). “LORD, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your possessions.” (Ps. 104:24). “Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels and the judgments spoken by His mouth,” (Ps. 105:5). “Great are the works of the LORD; they are studied by all who delight in them … He has caused His wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.” (Ps. 111:2, 4). “On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.” (Ps. 145:5). “David didn’t remember his past as much as he remembered the LORD’s past works. For David, what made the past worth remembering was the work of the LORD. He thought carefully about what God had done; meditate and muse are words that speak of deep thought.” (David Guzik on Ps. 143:5) (emphasis in original).7
Meditate on God’s Word to find comfort when your soul is weary8
Meditate on and give thanks for God’s mercy and forgiveness. Like David, God forgave the Jews of their many rebellions. As our example, the Jews celebrated that God forgave their sins: “You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy; and You did not abandon them.” (Neh. 9:17). “Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;”’ (Ex. 34:6; 33:19; Nu. 19:18). “For the LORD your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.” (Dt. 4:31). Are you regularly praising God for His mercy and grace in your life?
Give thanks that God’s faithfulness is not dependent on your faithfulness. Like David, the Jews after captivity felt undeserving of God’s grace. But God remained faithful to His promise to never forsake them: “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Dt. 31:6; 4:31; Heb. 13:5). ‘“I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”’ (Is. 43:25; Neh. 9:18-19). You can also give thanks that His faithfulness is not conditioned upon our faithfulness: “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Tim. 2:13). Have you given thanks for God’s unconditional faithfulness?
Meditate on Jesus’ Word and His faithfulness to boost your faith. Jesus is the Word that became flesh (Jo. 1:1, 14). He is also faithful to you (1 Thess. 5:24). Thus, you can also build your faith when you study His Word. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Ro. 10:17). Just as you must exercise to keep your muscles healthy, you must also read and study God’s Word to build up and strengthen your faith.
4. Trust: When You Struggle From the Consequences of Sin, Trust Jesus to Show You the Right Path and to be Your Refuge. Ps. 143:7-9.
Call out to God when you are in need, and place your trust in Him. Possibly as he fled from Absalom’s army, David declared his trust in God and pleaded for God to show him the narrow path leading to life. “7 Answer me quickly, Lord, my spirit fails; do not hide Your face from me, or I will be the same as those who go down to the pit. 8 Let me hear Your faithfulness in the morning, for I trust in You; teach me the way in which I should walk; for to You I lift up my soul. 9 Save me, Lord, from my enemies; I take refuge in You.” (Ps. 143:7-9). “Our plea with the Lord is our faith: if we are relying upon him, he cannot disappoint us: ‘in thee do I trust’ is a sound and solid argument with God. He who made the ear will cause us to hear: he who is love itself will have the kindness to bring his lovingkindness before our minds.” (Charles Spurgeon on Ps. 143:8).9
David placed his trust in God and sought refuge in Him. Instead of taking matters into his own hands, David stated: “for I trust in You;… I take refuge in You.” (Ps. 143:8-9). In his other trials, David made similar declarations of faith. “A Psalm of David … 2 My God, in You I trust, . . .” (Ps. 25:2). “A Psalm of David. In You, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; in Your righteousness rescue me.” (Ps. 31:1). David trusted in God, even when he could not have known the outcome of the battle: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5). “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Pet. 5:7). “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” (1 Cor. 16:13). “Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD.” (Ps. 31:24). “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Dt. 31:6). Even when it appears that evil is prevailing, you should still trust God: “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.” (Lk. 12:4). Even when evil seems to be prevailing everywhere, do you trust God?
Trust in God’s hesed. In Psalm 143:8, David pleaded to hear God’s “hesed” in the morning. In the NASB, this is translated as God’s “faithfulness”. In the KJB and the NKJV, this is translated as His “lovingkindness.” In the NIV, this is translated as God’s “unfailing love.” These translations all convey different reasons to fully trust in God.
Trust in God’s Hesed, His faithfulness, lovingkindness, and unfailing love10
God is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. David also knew that the only way for God to be “shield” was by making God his refuge from evil: “He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.” (2 Sam. 22:31). “But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.” (Ps. 3:3). “For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him with favor as with a shield.” (Ps. 5:12). “My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Ps. 18:2). From David’s example, his son Solomon also called God his shield: “Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” (Prov. 30:5). When God is your refuge, He is also your shield from the enemy’s attacks.
David pleaded with God to make His pathways of righteousness known to David. As a sinner, David knew that he would make poor choices on his own. Thus, he turned to God to guide him: “teach me the way in which I should walk;” (Ps. 143:8). In his prior trials, David also depended upon God to show him the narrow path leading to safety. “LORD, lead me in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before me.” (Ps. 5:8). “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.” (Ps. 23:3). “4 Make me know Your ways, Lord; teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day.” (Ps. 25:4-5). “For You are my rock and my fortress; for the sake of Your name You will lead me and guide me.” (Ps. 31:3). “Teach me Your way, LORD; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.” (Ps. 86:11). “God is my strong fortress; and He sets the blameless on His way.” (2 Sam. 22:33).
5. Obedience: When You Struggle From the Consequences of Sin, Obey the Direction of the Holy Spirit, and He Will Guide You to Safety. Ps. 143:10.
During a trial, obedience to God’s narrow path will place you on a firm foundation. David declared his faith that if he followed God’s will in his life, the Spirit would lead him on the path to safety. “10 Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Ps. 143:10). “‘To do God’s will’ is to be in ‘the land of uprightness.’ [KJB] That phrase, in its literal application, means a stretch of level country, and hence is naturally employed as an emblem of a moral or religious condition. A life of obedience to the will of God is likened to some far stretching plain, easy to traverse, broken by no barren mountains or frowning cliffs, but basking, peaceful and fruitful, beneath the smile of God. Into such a garden of the Lord the Psalmist prays to be led.” (Alexander MacLaren’s Expositions of Holy Scripture, Ps. 143:10).11
The Holy Spirit will also guide you on the right path if you obey Him. David trusted God’s “good Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Ps. 143:10). This foreshadowed the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding you. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” (Jo. 16:13).
God’s Word will also light and guide your path. David also praised God as his “lamp” who “illumines my darkness.” (Ps. 18:28; 2 Sam. 22:29). God guided David through His Word and prayer: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Ps. 119:105). If you read His Word and pray for guidance, the Holy Spirit will also guide your path. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.” (Jo. 14:26).
Obey the guidance offered through the Word and the Spirit to stay on level ground12
Obedience to God’s path kept David on the safe path. David pleaded for God to teach him His will. He knew that obedience to God’s will allow the “good Spirit [to] lead [him] on level ground.” (Ps. 143:10). This echoed a prayer that David made during a prior trial. “Teach me Your way, LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.” (Ps. 27:11). If you stray from God’s path, you open yourself to attack. But this requires your obedience. “In all his reliance upon God, he knew that God would not obey for him. Rather, the loving God would teach David to do His will. He would lead David in the land of uprightness.” (David Guzik on Ps. 143:10) (emphasis original).13
Meditate upon God’s Word to remain obedient. The psalmists also memorized God’s Word to keep them on the right path during their many trials: “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.” (Ps. 119:11). “. . . Your law is within my heart.” (Ps. 40:8; 1:2; 119:16; Jer. 15:16). Solomon also memorized the law (Prov. 6:21-22; 7:3). Joshua also told the people to meditate day and night on the book of the law (Josh. 1:8). Moses also exhorted the people to internalize God’s Word into their lives (Dt. 11:18). Jesus also memorized the law and quoted it from memory throughout His entire life. In addition to the blessings listed above, the Word will keep your ways pure (Ps. 37:31; 119:9). It will teach and admonish you (Col. 3:16). When you follow it, God promised that you will bear fruit in God like a tree planted by water (Ps. 1:1-3).
6. Jesus’ Glory: When You Struggle From the Consequences of Sin, Focus on What Brings Glory to Jesus, and He Will Revive and Strengthen You. Ps. 143:11.
When you need deliverance, seek to glorify God’s name. God had promised that David would be king (2 Sam. 7:12). Thus, when others sought to seize power from him, David prayed for his revival as king to glorify God. “11 For the sake of Your name, Lord, revive me. In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.” (Ps. 143:11). “Nothing less than Yahweh’s name and reputation are at stake in what happens with David, and to these David appeals in verse 11, asking Yahweh to give him life and in righteousness bring him out of the distress to his soul.” (James Hamilton on Ps. 143:11).14
Seek to glorify God, and let Him strength you. David pleaded for God’s covenant promises and the revival of his kingship to be fulfilled for God’s glory, not his own. “11 For the sake of Your name, Lord, revive me.” (Ps. 143:11a). This echoed one of David’s prior psalms. “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.” (Ps. 23:3). David also prayed for his deliverance to bring God’s glory. “For the sake of Your name, LORD, forgive my wrongdoing, for it is great.” (Ps. 25:11). “For You are my rock and my fortress; for the sake of Your name You will lead me and guide me.” (Ps. 31:3). “Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; and save us and forgive our sins for the sake of Your name.” (Ps. 79:9). When you pray for deliverance, also give Jesus the glory for your deliverance.
Turn to God’s Word when you need spiritual revival. David sought the revival of his kingdom. But other psalmists also turned to God’s Word in faith when they or God’s people needed spiritual revival. “You who have shown me many troubles and distresses will revive me again, and will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.” (Ps. 71:20). “Will You not revive us again, so that Your people may rejoice in You?” (Ps. 85:6). “Then we will not turn back from You; revive us, and we will call upon Your name.” (Ps. 80:18). “My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word.” (Ps. 119:25). “7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;…” (Ps. 138:7). “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” (Is. 40:31). Thus, when you are weary, turn to God to find spiritual revival.
Jesus will strengthen you when you need revival. Jesus would come to fulfill God’s promises to save His people from death and then spiritually revive them. “He sent His word and healed them, and saved them from their destruction.” (Ps. 107:20). “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Pet. 5:10). “looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:2). You only need faith to avail yourself of these promises.
7. God’s Deliverance: When You Struggle From the Consequences of Sin, Pray to Jesus for Deliverance From Your Enemies or Trials. Ps. 143:12
God wants you to turn to Him when you are in need of deliverance. Because David knew that God was faithful to keep His promises, David prayed for deliverance from those who sought to kill him and revoke God’s promises to him. “12 And in Your faithfulness, destroy my enemies, and eliminate all those who attack my soul, for I am Your servant.” (Ps. 143:12). “Many Christians will never face such terrifying persecution in their lives, but around the world the persecuted Church knows exactly the suffering and despair of the psalmist. Their cries to God do not betray a weak faith; on the contrary, they represent faith and hope in the only one who can deliver. The full revelation of the new covenant inspires greater confidence and trust, but it does not immediately end the overwhelming suffering that many must endure.” (Allen Ross on Ps. 143).15
God answered David’s prayers by delivering him from Absalom’s army. God answered David’s prayers by first using Hushai to thwart Ahithophel’s plans for a surprise attack against David (2 Sam 17:1-14). Hushai then warned David and his men to flee across the Jordan River (2 Sam. 17:15-22). God then allowed David to raise an army (2 Sam. 18:1-5). David’s forces then defeated Absalom’s army at the “the forest of Ephraim”. (2 Sam. 18:6-8). Joab then killed Absalom (2 Sam. 18:11-15).
Jesus also urged believers to pray daily for deliverance from evil. As part of the model prayer, Jesus also urges every believer to pray for deliverance from evil. “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’” (Matt. 6:13). “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.” (Jo. 17:15). “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 Jo. 5:19). Are you turning to Jesus each day to seek deliverance for yourself when you are attacked?
Praise God when He delivers you. As our example, David also praised God before nations in his song of deliverance to give God alone the glory. “The God who executes vengeance for me, and brings down peoples under me, who also brings me out from my enemies; You also raise me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from the violent person. Therefore I will give thanks to You, LORD, among the nations, and I will sing praises to Your name.” (2 Sam. 22:48-50; same, Psalm 18:47-49). Thus, you should always use your deliverance as an opportunity to praise God before others.
Augustine, “Exposition on Psalm 143”, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 8. (Translated by J.E. Tweed) Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1888.↩︎
Image credit: Lucia's Blog: August 2014↩︎
Image credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/505951339367911469/↩︎
Image credit: Psalm 143:8 | The Bottom of a Bottle↩︎
James M. Hamilton Jr., Evangelical Bible Theology Commentary Psalms (Vol. II: Psalms 73-150) (Lexham Academic 2021) p. 483.↩︎
Allen Ross, A Commentary of the Psalms: Volume 3 (90-150), Kregel Academic (2016) p. 887.↩︎