This psalm, as those before, is a prayer of David, and full of complaints of the great distress and danger he was in, probably when Saul persecuted him. He did not only pray in that affliction, but he prayed very much and very often, not the same over again, but new thoughts. In this psalm, I. He complains of his troubles, through the oppression of his enemies (Ps. 143:3) and the weakness of his spirit under it, which was ready to sink notwithstanding the likely course he took to support himself, Ps. 143:4, 5. II. He prays, and prays earnestly (Ps. 143:6), 1. That God would hear him, Ps. 143:1-7. 2. That he would not deal with him according to his sins, Ps. 143:2. 3. That he would not hide his face from him (Ps. 143:7), but manifest his favour to him, Ps. 143:8. 4. That he would guide and direct him in the way of his duty (Ps. 143:8, 10) and quicken him in it, Ps. 143:11. 5. That he would deliver him out of his troubles, Ps. 143:9, 11. 6. That he would in due time reckon with his persecutors, Ps. 143:12. We may more easily accommodate this psalm to ourselves, in the singing of it, because most of the petitions in it are for spiritual blessings (which we all need at all times), mercy and grace.