Psalm 143: Showers of Blessing
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David needs assurance from God that he has committed no sin worthy of exile.
With confidence, he asks God to judge him, even though he knows he is a sinful being. He relies on God’s mercy and justice to render a righteous verdict (Psalm 143:1, 2).
“Although the Scriptures frequently call men ‘righteous’ (see Gen. 18:23, 24; etc.), the psalmist recognizes that in the absolute sense, when compared with God, no man is righteous (see Job 9:2). Man can obtain the righteousness of Christ only through faith. Human effort can never make a man righteous (Eph. 2:8, 9).” David is feeling dejected and alone (Psalm 143:3, 4).
He remembers times past when God answered his prayers.
Spending time alone, tending his father’s flocks amid the wonders of nature, he gained an intimate knowledge of the workings of the Creator (v. 5).
And now he trusts the Lord will continue to answer his prayers.
With hope, he begs for deliverance. David thirsts for the showers of Heaven (v. 6). David’s need is desperate. He feels that without God, he is doomed (v. 7).
Things certainly look bleak in the dead of night.
Worse yet, he feels cut off from God, who currently does not seem to answer his prayers. Perhaps with the light of a new day, things will look more promising (v. 8).
As the morning sun brightens the landscape, David likewise wants an answer from the Lord to brighten his soul and light his path (v. 8). He wants God to hide him (v. 9).
David wants to be shown God’s will so that he might walk uprightly in the path of righteousness (v. 10). He stresses the reason God should answer his prayer is because God is holy (v. 11). Because David is a servant of the Lord, God should destroy those who trouble him (v. 12). “ ‘There shall be showers of blessing;’ / This is the promise of love; / There shall be seasons refreshing, / Sent from the Savior above.”
