Henry Ainsworth on Psalms 43

PSAL. XLIII.

IVdge me O God, and plead my plea, from the nation unmercifull, from the man of deceit, and injurious evill, do thou deliver me. For thou art the God of my strength, why thrustest thou me away: why goe I still sad, for the oppression of the enemie? Send thy light and thy truth, let them lead me, let [illegible: 1 word] bring me unto the mountain of thy holinesse, and unto thy dwelling places. And I will come unto the Altar of God; unto God, the joy of my gladnesse; and confesse thee with harpe. O God my God. Why bowest thou downe thy selfe, my soule, and why makest thou a tumultuous stirre within me? wait hopefully for God, for yet I shall confesse him; the salvations of my face, and my God.

Annotations. IVdge me] This meaneth an examination of the cause, giving sentence, and executing of it, by delivering the oppressed: so judging is used for delivering, 1 Sam. 24. 15. 2 Sam. 18. 19, 31. Iudg. 3. 10. Pleading also ones plea is of like meaning: see Psal. 35. 1. The Chaldee paraphraseth, Judge me O God with judgement of truth, for it is thy part to plead my plea. Vers. 2. my strength] or my strong fort, as Psal. 28. 8. for which in Psal. 42. 10. hee useth the word Rocke. Vers. 3. dwelling places] meaning the holy Tabernacle or Sanctuary, which had severall roomes, holy and most holy, parted by veiles; as also the Apostle observeth, Hebr. 9. 2, 3, 6, 7. or, the high place at Gibeon where the tabernacle was, & in Ierusalem where the Arke was, 2 Chro. 1. 3, 4. for in both those places God dwelt, and was worshipped. But the first seemeth most proper, because of Psal. 132. 5. See also Psal. 46. 5. and 84. 2. The Chaldee explaineth the former to be the mount of the house of thy Sanctuary; and these latter, the Schooles of the house of thy divine Majestie. By Schooles meaning such places about the Sanctuarie as the Doctors sate in, Luk. 2. 46. Vers. 4. And I will come] or, That I may come, for so the Hebrew phrase may often be resolved; and the new Testament useth both indifferently in the Greeke, as Luk. 6. 37. and ye shall not be judged; for which in Matth. 7. 1. it is, that yee be not judged. to the Altar] Chaldee, to offer an offering upon the Altar. the joy of my gladnesse] that is, author of my gladsome joy, meaning inward joy, outwardly shewing it selfe in gladsome gesture. Vers. 5. why bowest &c.] This verse is the same with Psal. 42. 12. of my face] the Chaldee explaineth it, for the redemption which is from his face, for he is my God.