John Calvin Commentary Psalms 43:1

"Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: Oh deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man." — Psalms 43:1 (ASV)

Judge me, O God! David, in the first place, complains of the extreme cruelty of his enemies; but in the verses that immediately follow, he shows that there was nothing he felt to be more grievous than to be deprived of the opportunity of access to the sanctuary.

We have evidence that he enjoys the testimony of a good conscience, in that he commends the defense of his cause to God. The term judge, which he first uses, means nothing other than to undertake the defense of one’s cause; and he expresses his meaning more clearly by adding, plead my cause. The substance and object of his prayer, indeed, were that he might be delivered from the wicked and malicious men by whom he was undeservedly persecuted.

But since it is to the miserable and guiltless, who are wrongfully afflicted, that God promises His help, David, in the first place, submits himself to be examined by God. He does this so that God, having discovered and thoroughly proved the rectitude of his cause, may finally grant him aid.

And just as it is a most cheering source of consolation for us to find that God is willing to take notice of our cause, so also, it is vain for us to expect that He will avenge the injuries and wrongs done to us, unless our own integrity is so manifest as to lead Him to be favorable to us against our adversaries.

By the unmerciful nation is to be understood the whole company of David’s enemies, who were cruel and lacked all feelings of humanity. What follows, concerning the deceitful and wicked man, might indeed be applied to Saul; but it seems rather to be a form of speech in which, by enallage, the singular number is used for the plural.