Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 143
Overview:
David acknowledges the great
Goodness of God, and prays for
help.
(1-8) He prays for the prosperity of his kingdom.
(9-15)
1-8 When men become eminent for things as to which they have
had few advantages, they should be more deeply sensible that
God
has been their Teacher. Happy those to whom the
Lord gives that
noblest victory, conquest and dominion over their own spirits. A
Prayer for further
Mercy is fitly begun with a thanksgiving for
former
Mercy. There was a special power of
God, inclining the
people of
Israel to be subject to
David; it was typical of the
bringing souls into subjection to the
Lord Jesus.
Man's days
have little substance, considering how many thoughts and cares
of a never-dying soul are employed about a
Poor dying body.
Man's
Life is as a
Shadow that passes away. In their highest
earthly exaltation, believers will recollect how mean, sinful,
and vile they are in themselves; thus they will be preserved
from self-importance and presumption.
God's time to help his
people is, when they are sinking, and all other
Helps fail.
9-15 Fresh favours
Call for fresh returns of thanks; we must
praise
God for the mercies we
Hope for
By his promise, as
Well
as those we have received
By his
Providence. To be saved from
the hurtful
Sword, or from wasting sickness, without deliverance
from the dominion of
Sin and the wrath to come, is but a small
advantage. The public prosperity
David desired for his people,
is stated. It adds much to the comfort and happiness of parents
in this world, to see their children likely to do
Well. To see
them as plants, not as weeds, not as thorns; to see them as
plants growing, not withered and blasted; to see them likely to
bring forth
Fruit unto
God in their
Day; to see them in their
youth growing strong in the
Spirit. Plenty is to be desired,
that we may be thankful to
God, generous to our friends, and
charitable to the
Poor; otherwise, what profit is it to have our
garners full? Also, uninterrupted peace.
War brings abundance of
mischiefs, whether it be to attack others or to defend
ourselves. And in proportion as we do not adhere to the
Worship
and service of
God, we cease to be a happy people. The subjects
of the
Saviour, the Son of
David, share the blessings of his
authority and victories, and are happy because they have the
Lord for their
God.