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“Summaries, Psalms 141-145”
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Psalm 141 asks God to help the psalmist remain faithful. It opens with a request to God to attend to the psalmist prayer the way He does to the offerings made at the tabernacle/temple. The psalmist then asks God to help him keep his speech, thoughts, and friendships from evil. It’s better to be rebuked by the righteous than to be favored by the wicked! Indeed, the psalmist hates the wicked and anticipates that the powerful people who help them will be destroyed.
Nonetheless, at the present time, the psalmist has been left without protection, close to death. In his trouble, he looks to God and trusts in His protection.
Psalm 142 also looks to God for help in trouble. The psalmist expresses his sorrow to God because he knows God sees the way forward for him. This is important because the psalmist’s enemies have set traps for him and his friends have abandoned him. In these dire circumstances, the psalmist has no choice but to cry to God. Only God can rescue him from persecution and prison, and if He does, the psalmist will give thanks to Him.
Psalm 143 has similar content. The verses to our hymn “I Close My Eyes” are taken from Psalm 143:1, 10, and 8. In the psalm, the psalmist asks for God to hear and answer him rather than judging him for his sins. The psalmist’s enemies have oppressed him, and he is distressed. In these circumstances, he thinks about what God has done before and longs for Him. He pours out his soul before God and hopes that He will answer him and lead him to safety. Ultimately, the psalmist is confident that God will answer him.
Psalm 144 is a martial psalm. It begins with David expressing his gratitude to God for helping him fight and protecting him. He marvels that God would expend such care on him. Next, he invites God to help him in battle. If God does, he will praise Him. The psalm concludes by asking for several blessings: rescue from enemies, many children, agricultural prosperity, and peace.
Psalm 145 rejoices in God’s goodness and power. The psalmist begins by promising to praise God forever because of His greatness. God is so great that His praise will continue through all successive generations. In addition to being great, He also is kind and compassionate. His people will continue to praise Him because His kingdom will last forever. God protects and provides for everyone, loves the righteous, hears their prayers, and judges rightly between them and the wicked. Therefore, He should be praised forever.
