Declare me innocent, O God! Defend me against these ungodly people. Rescue me from these unjust liars.
Parallel translations
- WEB Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.
- KJV Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
- BSB Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; deliver me from deceitful and unjust men.
- NKJV Vindicate me, O God, And plead my cause against an ungodly nation; Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!
- NASB Vindicate me, God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; Save me from the deceitful and unjust person!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The psalmist asks God to vindicate him and defend his cause against ungodly, deceitful men. He appeals to God as his righteous Judge.
Overview
Psalm 43 continues the thought of Psalm 42 and shares its refrain, suggesting they form one prayer. He pleads for divine vindication rather than self-defense. Committing one's cause to God the Judge is the believer's recourse against injustice (Romans 12:19).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Ps 35:1By David. Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.
- Ps 26:1By David. Judge me, Yahweh, for I have walked in my integrity. I have trusted also in Yahweh without wavering.
- Ps 7:8Yahweh administers judgment to the peoples. Judge me, Yahweh, according to my righteousness, and to my integrity that is in me.
- 1 Sam 24:15May Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.”
- Ps 35:24Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness. Don’t let them gloat over me.
- Ps 71:4Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
- Ps 5:6You will destroy those who speak lies. Yahweh abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
- Mic 7:9I will bear the indignation of Yahweh, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light. I will see his righteousness.
- 1 Pet 2:23Who, when he was cursed, didn’t curse back. When he suffered, didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously;
- 1 Cor 4:4For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.
- Prov 23:11for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.
- Prov 22:23for Yahweh will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.
- Ps 75:7But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another.
- 2 Sam 16:20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel what we shall do.”
- 2 Sam 15:31Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “Yahweh, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 43:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.