Psalm 143 — Poor in Spirit

A Psalm of David.

1 Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my supplications:
In thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
2 And enter not into judgement with thy servant;
For in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul;
He hath smitten my life down to the ground:
He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is desolate.
5 I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all thy doings:
I muse on the work of thy hands.
6 I spread forth my hands unto thee:
My soul thirsteth after thee, as a weary land.   Selah
7 Make haste to answer me, O LORD; my spirit faileth:
Hide not thy face from me;
Lest I become like them that go down into the pit.
8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning;
For in thee do I trust:
Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk;
For I lift up my soul unto thee.
9 Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies:
I flee unto thee to hide me.
10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God:
Thy spirit is good; lead me in the land of uprightness.
11 Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake:
In thy righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And in thy lovingkindness cut off mine enemies,
And destroy all them that afflict my soul;
For I am thy servant.

We all need to consider Jesus Christ's important words, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." I believe this psalm can help us in that great work. David's psalm is a meditation for the poor in spirit.

As the lines open up we find that, when examined by God, we are found wanting & lacking. We cannot measure up; we need mercy. We can't justify any of one our works, let alone our lives.

Then, as we look around us, we see that our troubles mount up on every side, too. Even if we tried to live separated from God, judgment and justification, the world offers little to bless our lives. The world fails to help and turns to hurt. 

So, with this psalm, we come in emptiness to a God who fills. We come hungering and thirsting in a weary land to a righteous God. A God who alone can satisfy our lives. We have no real vindication around us on earth. Maybe friends and some fun times, but nothing of substance. This psalm is our prayer to have something more. To have access, by God, to revival.