Psalms 43

Chapter Overview

What happens in Psalms 43

This psalm continues the themes and refrain of Psalm 42. The psalmist asks God to send his light and truth to lead him back to the temple and to God's presence.

Scripture

Send Your Light and Truth

Study note

The psalmist asks God to defend him against an ungodly nation and send out his light and truth to guide him to God's holy mountain and the altar.

1 Stand up for me, God, and argue my case against a nation that has no loyalty. Rescue me from people who are dishonest and unfair. Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

2 You are the God I depend on for strength. Why have you pushed me aside? Why do I have to drag myself around in sadness while my enemy crushes me? For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 Send your light and your truth out ahead of me — let them be my guides. Let them bring me to your holy mountain and to the place where you live. O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

4 Then I will walk right up to the altar of God — to God, who is my deepest joy. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.

Hope in God

Study note

The psalm ends with the same refrain as Psalm 42: Why are you downcast, my soul? Hope in God, for I will yet praise him.

5 Why are you so crushed, my soul? Why all this restless churning inside me? Anchor your hope in God, because I will still praise him — the one who saves me, my God. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Key Themes

Themes in Psalms 43

Asking God to send his light and truthLonging to return to God's presenceThe repeated refrain of hopeFaith that persists through spiritual darkness

Apply This Today

Living Psalms 43

When you feel far from God, ask Him to send His light and truth to guide you back. This psalm continues the refrain from Psalm 42 — hope in God — and it is a choice, not a feeling. Even when joy feels distant, you can ask God to lead you home. He will.

Go Deeper

Study Psalms in Covenant Path

Read every chapter with study aids, bookmarks, and daily reading plans — free in the app.

Download for iOS Download for Android

← Psalms 43 →