Psalms 43

Psalms 43:1

The LORD Vindicates

All doubt is gone. The wicked will be judged. Confidence in God is back. The false king, the antichrist, is dead; long live the great King, the LORD! The psalmist sings it out that “the LORD is King forever and ever” (Psalms 10:16). This is fully true in the realm of peace. Then the nations will be gone from His land. All evil will have been judged and satan bound for a thousand years.

In that time it will be seen that He has “heard the desire of the humble” (Psalms 10:17). They will possess the land from which all the lawless have been removed (Matthew 5:5; Matthew 13:41-42). With that prospect, God strengthens the hearts of the humble. He listens to them when they make known to Him their distress in which they are now. That His ear will heed them is an encouraging statement that shows that He is attentive to their cries for help.

The LORD will vindicate the defenseless orphan and the disenfranchised oppressed (Psalms 10:18). He will stand up for them and cause them to inherit the blessing. He has the last word and not “that man who is of the earth” who still causes so much terror. That the wicked is referred to as “that man who is of the earth” – “man” is enosh, that is weak, mortal man – makes it clear how incredibly insignificant he is and that the sphere of his life is limited to the earth.

Time and again in the book of Revelation such people are spoken of as “those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10; Revelation 6:10; Revelation 8:13; Revelation 11:10; Revelation 13:8; 14; Revelation 14:6; Revelation 17:8). The wicked is an “earthling”, one who sticks to the earth with heart and soul and has no connections to heaven whatsoever. After God’s intervention, it is over and done with him and his violence.

What is true for the believing psalmist and the believing remnant of Israel in the end time and in the realm of peace, is also true for faith now. The believer may know that the Lord reigns, even if it is not yet publicly visible. He does not forget His own even now and is the Helper of the defenseless who are connected with Him through faith. Although there is no outward peace yet, the believer can go his way on earth with the peace of God in his heart knowing that the Lord reigns.

Psalms 43:2

The LORD Vindicates

All doubt is gone. The wicked will be judged. Confidence in God is back. The false king, the antichrist, is dead; long live the great King, the LORD! The psalmist sings it out that “the LORD is King forever and ever” (Psalms 10:16). This is fully true in the realm of peace. Then the nations will be gone from His land. All evil will have been judged and satan bound for a thousand years.

In that time it will be seen that He has “heard the desire of the humble” (Psalms 10:17). They will possess the land from which all the lawless have been removed (Matthew 5:5; Matthew 13:41-42). With that prospect, God strengthens the hearts of the humble. He listens to them when they make known to Him their distress in which they are now. That His ear will heed them is an encouraging statement that shows that He is attentive to their cries for help.

The LORD will vindicate the defenseless orphan and the disenfranchised oppressed (Psalms 10:18). He will stand up for them and cause them to inherit the blessing. He has the last word and not “that man who is of the earth” who still causes so much terror. That the wicked is referred to as “that man who is of the earth” – “man” is enosh, that is weak, mortal man – makes it clear how incredibly insignificant he is and that the sphere of his life is limited to the earth.

Time and again in the book of Revelation such people are spoken of as “those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10; Revelation 6:10; Revelation 8:13; Revelation 11:10; Revelation 13:8; 14; Revelation 14:6; Revelation 17:8). The wicked is an “earthling”, one who sticks to the earth with heart and soul and has no connections to heaven whatsoever. After God’s intervention, it is over and done with him and his violence.

What is true for the believing psalmist and the believing remnant of Israel in the end time and in the realm of peace, is also true for faith now. The believer may know that the Lord reigns, even if it is not yet publicly visible. He does not forget His own even now and is the Helper of the defenseless who are connected with Him through faith. Although there is no outward peace yet, the believer can go his way on earth with the peace of God in his heart knowing that the Lord reigns.

Psalms 43:4

Introduction

The historical background is not known. It is probably the time when David is being persecuted by Saul (1 Samuel 26:3; 20). The content of the psalm shows that David – or the faithful remnant, or the believer – is in great trouble because wicked men are preying on him. In that distress, his trust in God is tested by the advice he is given to flee. We see how David responds to that counsel and holds fast to his trust in God. He trusts that God will eventually destroy the wicked, who are hated by Him, and save the righteous, whom He loves.

Prophetically, we see the time when antichrist has come to power (Psalms 10) and is persecuting the faithful remnant of Israel. As a result, they are forced to flee from Israel (Matthew 24:15-16). This faithful remnant seeks refuge in the LORD (Psalms 11:1) and considers this persecution a trial (Psalms 11:5a) of which the end is certain (Psalms 11:5b-7).

The Refuge Is the LORD

For “for the choir director” (Psalms 11:1a) see at Psalms 4:1.

For “[a Psalm] of David” see at Psalms 3:1.

David begins by testifying to simple trust in the LORD as the One in Whom he “takes refuge” (Psalms 11:1b). This is the introduction to and starting point of this psalm. He takes refuge in the LORD. He gives this testimony in response to the counsel he received to flee to the mountains.

His testimony is at the same time a reproach to the counselor or counselors. “Say to my soul” (cf. Psalms 11:5b) seems to indicate that a strong appeal is made to him to convince him that it is far better to flee. He is, he is told insistently, no more than a bird that is hunted (1 Samuel 26:20) and that will surely be caught one day if it does not find a good hiding place.

David rejects this advice without hesitation, almost indignantly. He does not flee to the mountains, but to the LORD (Psalms 121:1-2). After all, the safety that the LORD provides as a refuge is so many times better than the safety that the mountains provide. Mountains are often a good shelter in times of danger (cf. Judges 6:2; 1 Samuel 13:6; 1 Samuel 26:20). Because they say “your” mountain – “your” being plural – we can assume that the advice is given not only to David, but also to all who are with him.

In Psalms 11:2, the counselors motivate their advice. For the wicked are out to kill “the upright in heart” (cf. Psalms 10:8). Their actions are pictorially described. They have laid their arrows upon the string, ready to be shot. We can think here of physical persecution, through which the remnant will suffer greatly.

We can also think of a spiritual activity: their tongue is bent like “the bow” and their words are like “arrows upon the string” (cf. Psalms 37:14). The time to act is chosen with care. They act “in darkness”, in an insidious way. Thus the wicked whisper their slanderous words in veiled terms. They do not fight with an open mind. That is always the case with slander and blasphemy. It is pervasive, there are many listening ears, and yet it is difficult to discover where it comes from. The wicked are deceitful and full of evil.

Psalms 43:5

Introduction

The historical background is not known. It is probably the time when David is being persecuted by Saul (1 Samuel 26:3; 20). The content of the psalm shows that David – or the faithful remnant, or the believer – is in great trouble because wicked men are preying on him. In that distress, his trust in God is tested by the advice he is given to flee. We see how David responds to that counsel and holds fast to his trust in God. He trusts that God will eventually destroy the wicked, who are hated by Him, and save the righteous, whom He loves.

Prophetically, we see the time when antichrist has come to power (Psalms 10) and is persecuting the faithful remnant of Israel. As a result, they are forced to flee from Israel (Matthew 24:15-16). This faithful remnant seeks refuge in the LORD (Psalms 11:1) and considers this persecution a trial (Psalms 11:5a) of which the end is certain (Psalms 11:5b-7).

The Refuge Is the LORD

For “for the choir director” (Psalms 11:1a) see at Psalms 4:1.

For “[a Psalm] of David” see at Psalms 3:1.

David begins by testifying to simple trust in the LORD as the One in Whom he “takes refuge” (Psalms 11:1b). This is the introduction to and starting point of this psalm. He takes refuge in the LORD. He gives this testimony in response to the counsel he received to flee to the mountains.

His testimony is at the same time a reproach to the counselor or counselors. “Say to my soul” (cf. Psalms 11:5b) seems to indicate that a strong appeal is made to him to convince him that it is far better to flee. He is, he is told insistently, no more than a bird that is hunted (1 Samuel 26:20) and that will surely be caught one day if it does not find a good hiding place.

David rejects this advice without hesitation, almost indignantly. He does not flee to the mountains, but to the LORD (Psalms 121:1-2). After all, the safety that the LORD provides as a refuge is so many times better than the safety that the mountains provide. Mountains are often a good shelter in times of danger (cf. Judges 6:2; 1 Samuel 13:6; 1 Samuel 26:20). Because they say “your” mountain – “your” being plural – we can assume that the advice is given not only to David, but also to all who are with him.

In Psalms 11:2, the counselors motivate their advice. For the wicked are out to kill “the upright in heart” (cf. Psalms 10:8). Their actions are pictorially described. They have laid their arrows upon the string, ready to be shot. We can think here of physical persecution, through which the remnant will suffer greatly.

We can also think of a spiritual activity: their tongue is bent like “the bow” and their words are like “arrows upon the string” (cf. Psalms 37:14). The time to act is chosen with care. They act “in darkness”, in an insidious way. Thus the wicked whisper their slanderous words in veiled terms. They do not fight with an open mind. That is always the case with slander and blasphemy. It is pervasive, there are many listening ears, and yet it is difficult to discover where it comes from. The wicked are deceitful and full of evil.