1.
Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
Judge = Vindicate.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
ungodly = graceless. Figure of speech Tapeinosis. App-6 .
man. Hebrew. 'ish .
2.
For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
my strength = my refuge, or my defending God.
dost = didst.
cast. off. See Psalms 44:8 .
the enemy = an enemy.
3.
O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
light . . . truth. Probably an allusion to the Urim and Thummim (see notes on Exodus 28:30 ), from which the Psalmist was now absent, in flight from Absalom.
lead = gently lead, or comfort.
bring: i.e. by their guiding counsel.
Thy holy hill: i.e. Zion. Therefore refers to times of David.
holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 .
tabernacles = habitations. Plural of majesty = thy great habitation. Hebrew, plural of mishkan. App-40 .
4.
Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.
GOD. Hebrew El. App-4 .
5.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Why . . . ? See notes on Psalms 42:5 for the whole of this verse.
health = salvation. See note on Psalms 42:5 .
To the chief Musician. See App-64 .