Psalms 43:1

Vindicate me, O God! Fight for me ²  against an ungodly nation! Deliver me ³  from deceitful and evil men! ⁴ 

1Sa 24:15; 2Sa 15:31; 2Sa 16:20-23; 2Sa 17:1-4; Ps 7:8; Ps 26:1; Ps 35:1; Ps 35:24; Ps 71:4; Ps 75:7; Pr 22:23; Pr 23:11; Mic 7:9; 1Co 4:4; 1Pe 2:23

¹ sn Psalm 43. Many medieval Hebrew mss combine Psalm 43 and Psalm 42 into one psalm. Psalm 43 is the only psalm in Book 2 of the Psalter (Psalms 42-72) that does not have a heading, suggesting that it was originally the third and concluding section of Psalm 42. Ps 43:5 is identical to the refrain in Ps 42:11 and almost identical to the refrain in Ps 42:5.

² tn Or “argue my case.”

³ tn The imperfect here expresses a request or wish. Note the imperatives in the first half of the verse. See also v. 3.

⁴ tn Heb “from the deceitful and evil man.” The Hebrew text uses the singular form “man” in a collective sense, as the reference to a “nation” in the parallel line indicates.