This psalm also is entitled "A Psalm of David." There is, however, no intimation in the title as to the time or the occasion on which it was composed. In the Septuagint version, and the Latin Vulgate, it is said to have been written "when Absalom his son persecuted him." There is nothing in the psalm inconsistent with this supposition, nor is there anything which necessarily restricts the application to that period of life. It would seem most natural that it should refer to the same trials as the previous psalm; and the sentiments in it are as applicable to the persecutions under Saul as to the rebellion of Absalom. There can be no doubt that it was composed when he was in danger and in trouble on account of malignant and powerful enemies; and it is of the same general character as many in the collection that were composed on those occasions. It is a psalm written in trouble; and, in a world like this, there will be always many hearts that can fully sympathize with the sentiments which are expressed in it.

The psalmist prays for mercy, and deprecates judgment, Psalm 143:1, Psalm 143:2. His persecutions, Psalm 143:3. His earnest prayer for deliverance, Psalm 143:4-9. Prays for God's quickening Spirit, Psalm 143:10, Psalm 143:11. And for the total discomfiture of his adversaries, Psalm 143:12
The Hebrew and all the Versions attribute this Psalm to David; and the Vulgate, Septuagint, Ethiopic and Arabic state that it was composed on the rebellion of his son Absalom: nor is there any thing in the Psalm that positively disagrees with this inscription. This is the last of the seven Psalm styled penitential.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 143
A Psalm of David. This psalm was composed by David when he fled from Absalom his son, according to the title of it in Apollinarius, the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions; so R. Obadiah Gaon: and of the same opinion is Theodoret and others. The sense he had of his sins, and his deprecating God's entering into judgment with him for them, seems to confirm it; affliction from his own family for them being threatened him, 2-Samuel 12:9; though Kimchi thinks it was written on the same account as the former, and at the same time, namely, when he was persecuted by Saul; and what is said in Psalm 142:2, seems to agree with it. The Syriac inscription is,
"when the Edomites came against him;''
which is very foreign, since these were subdued by him.

(Psalm 143:1-6) David complains of his enemies and distresses.
(Psalm 143:7-12) He prays for comfort, guidance, and deliverance.

Longing after Mercy in the Midst of Dark Imprisonment
In some codices of the lxx this Psalm (as Euthymius also bears witness) has no inscription at all; in others, however, it has the inscription: Ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυεὶδ ὅτε αὐτὸν ἐδίωκεν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ (Cod. Sinait. οτε αυτον ο υς καταδιωκει). Perhaps by the same poet as Psalm 142:1-7, with which it accords in Psalm 143:4, Psalm 143:8, Psalm 143:11 (cf. Psalm 142:4, 8), it is like this a modern offshoot of the Davidic Psalm-poetry, and is certainly composed as coming out of the situation of him who was persecuted by Absalom. The Psalm of this time of persecution are distinguished from those of the time of the persecution by Saul by the deep melancholy into which the mourning of the dethroned king was turned by blending with the penitential sorrowfulness of one conscious of his own guilt. On account of this fundamental feature the church has chosen Psalm 143:1-12 for the last of its seven Psalmi poenitentiales. The Sela at the close of Psalm 143:6 divides the Psalm into two halves.