Psalms 143:1-12

Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications.

A penitential soul in prayer

I. The reasons urged.

1. A consciousness of moral unrighteousness (verse 2). No man will ever pray rightly until he is made deeply conscious that he has no claims whatever upon the favour of God, and that his necessities, if relieved at all, must be relieved by sovereign mercy alone.

2. A terrible sense of danger (verses 3, 4).

3. An encouraging reminiscence of God (verse 5).

4. An intense craving of the heart (verse 6). There are two figures here indicating the craving of the heart after God. The first is taken from human life. As the suffering child stretches forth its hand to its mother, as the dying patient to his physician, as the drowning man to the rope thrown out for his rescue, so the soul of the penitent stretches out Jim hands to God; he must have Him or die and be lost. God is the necessity of necessities, the Supreme need. Another figure indicating the craving of the heart after God is the longing of the parched earth for fertile showers.

II. The blessings invoked.

1. Soul deliverance (verse 7). This has been provided in Christ.

2. Soul guidance (verse 8). Let the morning dawn on me, and The night of darkness and sorrow depart, and show me the way in which I ought to walk,--the way of rectitude, of safety.

3. Soul loyalty (verse 10).

4. Soul quickening (verse 11). There must be life to struggle for deliverance, life to follow the Divine guidance, to reach the level land of rectitude, and to walk in it. (David Thomas, D. D.)

Prayer illustrated

As an example and illustration of prayer this psalm teaches us--

1. That we should approach God in the full belief that He is the “Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

2. We should appeal to Him not only as merciful, but also as faithful and righteous.

3. We should come as sinners imploring pardon.

4. Thus coming to God, we should seek comfort by uttering our grief in His presence and casting all our care on Him.

5. We should direct our thoughts from our sorrows to Him before whom we bow, and contemplate His character and former mercies.

6. Encouraged by such contemplation we should with renewed confidence present our petitions.

7. Expecting consolation in the path of obedience alone, we should pray to be enabled to do the will of God.

8. In our prayers we should renew the consecration of ourselves to God, and seek protection, deliverance and salvation as His “servants.” “I am Thine, save me.” (Newman Hall, LL. B.)