Salmos 143
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Salmos 143
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS There are several IMPERATIVES and JUSSIVES OF REQUEST. hear, Ps. 143:1a give ear, Ps. 143:1b do not exile into judgment, Ps. 143:2a answer me quickly, Ps. 143:7a do not hide Your face, Ps. 143:7b let me hear, Ps. 143:8a teach me, Ps. 143:8c deliver me, Ps. 143:9a teach me, Ps. 143:10a let Your good Spirit lead me, Ps. 143:10c There are three people characterized in this Psalm. YHWH faithful, Ps. 143 1c righteous, Ps. 143:1c,11b lovingkindness, Ps. 143:8a,12a in Ps. 143:10c and 11a the parallel phrases (i.e., "Your good Spirit" and "Your Name") also characterize YHWH the psalmist his spirit is overwhelmed, Ps. 143:4a his spirit is appalled, Ps. 143:4b he remembers God's past acts, Ps. 143:5 he longs for God, Ps. 143:6 his spirit fails, Ps. 143:7a he trusts in God, Ps. 143:8b he lifts his soul to God, Ps. 143:8d he takes refuge in God, Ps. 143:9b YHWH is his God, Ps. 143:10b the enemy persecutes the psalmist, Ps. 143:3a crushed his life, Ps. 143:3b made him dwell in dark places, Ps. 143:3c afflicted the psalmist, Ps. 143:12b SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE
Salmos 143:1-4
143:1 "faithfulness" This NOUN (BDB 53) comes from the VERB (BDB 52) which denotes "believe," "faith," "trust," and "faithfulness." See SPECIAL TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS IN THE OT. A different word (BDB 105, KB 120) in Ps. 143:8b also means "trust." ▣ "righteousness" See SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS. Notice how YHWH is characterized, see Contextual Insights, B. 1. 143:2 If YHWH counts sin(s), who can stand? All humans are affected by the Fall of Genesis 3 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FALL OF MANKIND and the notes at Ps. 130:3-4). Some rabbis assert that sin begins in Genesis 3 but most in Genesis 6. The rabbis assert the choices of humans as the source of evil (i.e., the two yetzers). Paul affirms Genesis 3 as the source (cf. Rom. 1:18-3:20; 3:23; 11:32; Gal. 3:22). The result is the same, as humans are rebels and need to be forgiven (cf. 1 Kgs. 8:46; Job 4:17; 9:2; 25:4; Ps. 130:3-4; Prov. 20:9; Eccl. 7:20; Isa. 53:6; Rom. 5:12-21)! 143:2a "Your servant" See SPECIAL TOPIC: MY SERVANT. 143:2b The UBS Handbook (p. 1151) mentions that this line of poetry, as translated by the LXX, may be alluded to by Paul in Rom. 3:20 and Gal. 2:16. The UBS' Handbook for Translators series is so helpful in seeing the multiple ways Hebrew words, phrases, and idioms can be understood. 143:3-4 These verses describe in poetic language the feelings of the persecuted psalmist. The imagery is related to the Hebrew concept of Sheol (cf. Job 10:21; Ps. 88:5-6; Lam. 3:6). But notice the drastic change that comes in Ps. 143:5, when the psalmist reflects on YHWH's wonderful, gracious acts in the past (i.e., creation, call of the Patriarchs, Israel becoming a nation and occupying the land of promise, etc.). There is hope in Him! SPECIAL TOPIC: SHEOL 143:3a "the enemy" Note this (Qal PAARTICCIPLE) is linked to SINGULAR VERBS. There are three good options. a collective term (PLURAL in Ps. 143:9,12) one main enemy (either foreign or domestic) a reference to "death," "the pit," "Sheol" ▣ "my soul" See SPECIAL TOPIC: NEPHESH 143:3c The Jewish Study Bible, p. 1440, asserts that this refers to the dead who can never live again. This obviously is opposite of the theology of the Pharisees, but does reflect the thoughts of the Sadducees. There are some passages in the Hebrew Bible that reflect life after death. SPECIAL TOPIC: PHARISEES SPECIAL TOPIC: SADDUCEES SPECIAL TOPIC: RESURRECTION 143:4 "spirit. . .heart" Both of these refer to the person. The first phrase is a repeat of Ps. 142:3, see note there. The same thought is repeated in Ps. 143:7a. For "spirit" see SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE. For "heart" see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEART. ▣ "overwhelmed" This is literally "faint" (BDB 742, KB 814, Hithpael IMPERFECT with waw, cf. Ps. 142:3a). This VERV is used with spirit (ruah) ‒ Ps. 77:3; 142:3; 143:4 heart (leb) ‒ Ps. 61:2; 143:4 soul (nephesh) ‒ Ps. 107:5
Salmos 143:5-6
143:5-6 This strophe describes the actions of the psalmist. he remembers God's gracious acts of deliverance in the past, Ps. 143:5a he continues to meditate on God's actions, Ps. 143:5b, cf. 105:2 he reflects/muses (cf. Ps. 77:12; 145:5) on God's creation, Ps. 143:5c, cf. Ps. 8:6; 102:25 he prays to God, Ps. 143:6a his soul longs for God, Ps. 143:6b, cf. Ps. 42:2; 63:1 These are the focus of faithful followers' thoughts. We are what we think about. Our prayers and our acts reveal the true nature of each person. 143:5 "days of old" This NOUN (BDB 869) can mean "ancient" or "before time" (cf. Deut. 33:27; Prov. 8:22-23; Micah 5:2). Usually the root denotes "east" or "before" (NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 869-871). ▣ "Your hands" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ANTHROPOMORPHIC LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE GOD 143:6 "I stretch out my hands to You" See note at Ps. 141:2b. ▣ "soul" This is the Hebrew term nephesh. See note at Gen. 35:18 online. SPECIAL TOPIC: NEPHESH ▣ "My soul longs for You, as a parched land" The psalmist longs/thirsts for personal fellowship with YHWH (i.e., Ps. 143:7b; Ps. 42:2; 63:1; 84:2). This is the goal of Gen. 1:26-27. It was "the" purpose of creation! Humans were created for fellowship with God! Notice that remembering YHWH's acts and worship gives hope in current circumstances! ▣ "Selah" See note at Ps. 3:2 online.
Salmos 143:7-9
143:7 "my spirit fails" The VERB (BDB 477, KB 476, Qal PERFECT) means "to be complete" or "to be finished." It is used of a person in Job 33:21, flesh fails Ps. 71:9, strength fails Ps. 73:26, flesh and heart fail Prov. 5:11, flesh and body fail The psalmist feels he is about to die and go to Sheol (i.e., the pit, Ps. 143:7c). SPECIAL TOPIC: SHEOL ▣ "hide Your face from me" This is idiomatic, anthropomorphic language of (1) God being silent and not responding to the psalmist's prayers or (2) God rejecting the psalmist; only context or parallelism can determine (cf. Ps. 10:11; 13:1; 27:9; 30:7; 51:9; 69:17; 88:14; 102:2). It expresses a sense of hopeless helplessness (cf. Ps. 142:4). 143:8a "Your lovingkindness" See SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS ▣ "in the morning" This is opposite imagery to those who go down into the Pit (i.e., darkness, death, cf. v. 3c). This imagery of "morning" can be seen as victory comes in the morning, Ps. 30:5; 59:16; 90:14 prayer is made in the morning, Ps. 5:3; 88:13; 119:147 God-given understanding, Ps. 36:9 143:8b "I trust in You" This is a different term for "trust" than v. 1. See note there. They are synonymous. 143:8c "Teach me the way in which I should walk" This VERB (BDB 393, KB 390, Hiphil IMPERATIVE) basically means "to know." The NASB translates it as make known ‒ 1 Chr. 17:19; Job 26:3; Ps. 89:1; 98:2; 106:8; 145:12; Isa. 64:1; Hab. 3:2 teach ‒ Exod. 18:20; Jer. 31:19; and here "Walk" is often used as imagery for daily living (i.e., Ps. 1:1; Prov. 1:15; 4:14; Isa. 48:17; Jer. 42:3; in the NT also, i.e., Rom. 14:15; Eph. 4:1,17; 5:2,15). SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PATH, THE WAY 143:8d "to You I lift up my soul" This could be imagery, used only three times with YHWH as the object (cf. Ps. 25:1; 86:4) related to praying (i.e., lift up my hands/palms) sacrifice (i.e., wave offering or the imagery of the horns of the sacrificial altar) 143:9 "I take refuge in You" "In You I take shelter" "since in you I find protection" "to You I look for cover" "with you I seek refuge" LXX, Vulgate "to You I flee" The PARTICIPLE (BDB 491, KB 487, Piel PARTICIPLE) basically means "to cover" or "to hide." It is a very common root in the OT. The AB (p. 325) translates this line of poetry as "my God (El), truly am I being submerged." Dahood connects it to a reference to Sheol by using Job 22:11. The UBS Handbook (p. 1153) mentions two Hebrew MSS which translate the MT differently. "I seek refuge in You" "to You I flee" (see NET Bible emendation, p. 1007, #39)
Salmos 143:10-12
143:10 "Teach me to do Your will" This is a different word (BDB 540, KB 531, cf. Deut. 4:1; 6:1; 20:18; Jer. 12:16) from the "teach" of Ps. 143:8c. YHWH wants to teach us His will so that His faithful followers can model it for the lost world! Also note the sovereign God must reveal His will but humans must choose to act (and continue to act) on this revelation. The covenant involves both God and humans! SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT ▣ "Your good Spirit" "Your Spirit is good" NRSV, LXX "Your good spirit" "your generous spirit" JPSOA, REB "Your gracious spirit" "Your gentle spirit" As is obvious from the English translations there are two theological issues. how to view "spirit" imagery of God's agency (i.e., Gen. 1:2; Num. 11:17,25,29; Ps. 139:7; Hag. 2:5) as a characterization of God Himself (cf. Ps. 51:11; Isa. 63:10-11) the definition of "good" (BDB 373 III), which is a common VERB with a wide semantic field; the general sense is "pleasing," "good" (VERB) "pleasant," "agreeable," "good" (ADJECTIVE) "good thing," "goodness" (MASCULINE NOUN) "welfare," "benefit," "good thing" (FEMININE NOUN) For #1 please look at SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PERSONHOOD OF THE SPIRIT and SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY. ▣ "level ground" The OT uses the imagery of a path/road/way to describe one's life (cf. Ps. 5:8; 26:12; 27:11). the good/godly life is smooth level unobstructed straight the wicked life is crooked unlevel obstructed slippery SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PATH, THE WAY 143:11-12 The psalmist bases his request, not on his own merit (cf. Ps. 143:2), but on God's good name, Ps. 143:11a God's righteousness, Ps. 143:11b God's lovingkindness, Ps. 143:12a 143:11 "For the sake of Your Name" See SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF YHWH. ▣ NASB, NKJV, TEV, REB "revive me" NRSV, JPSOA "preserve my life" "give me life" "quicken me" The VERB (BDB 310, KB 309, Piel IMPERFECT) is the common term "life" (NOUN), "live" (VERB), "alive," or "living" (ADJECTIVE). This Piel stem is used often in the Psalter (cf. Ps. 80:18; 85:6; 119:25,37, 40,50,88,93,107,149,154,156, 159). It is often parallel to BDB 996, KB 1427, cf. Ps. 80:3,17,19. It can refer to physical life spiritual life 143:12 "lovingkindness" See SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS ▣ "my soul" See SPECIAL TOPIC: NEPHESH ▣ "Your servant" This can mean a faithful follower an honorific title for leaders Moses Joshua David (i.e., Kings of Judah) Messiah/Israel (i.e., Servant Songs of Isaiah 41-53) SPECIAL TOPIC: MY SERVANT