(10) Thy spirit is good; lead me.--Or, rather, let thy good spirit lead me. (For the omission of the article with the adjective after the determinative noun, comp. Genesis 37:2.)
Verse 10. - Teach me to do thy will (comp. Psalm 25:4, 5; Psalm 139:24). For thou art my God. Therefore my Guide and Teacher. Thy spirit is good; i.e. gracious and merciful. Lead ms into the land of uprightness; rather, along a land of smoothness. Some critics unite the last two clauses, and translate, "Let thy good Spirit lead me along a land of smoothness" - "conduct me," i.e. over smooth ground, where I need not stumble.
143:7-12 David prays that God would be well pleased with him, and let him know that he was so. He pleads the wretchedness of his case, if God withdrew from him. But the night of distress and discouragement shall end in a morning of consolation and praise. He prays that he might be enlightened with the knowledge of God's will; and this is the first work of the Spirit. A good man does not ask the way in which is the most pleasant walking, but what is the right way. Not only show me what thy will is, but teach me how to do it. Those who have the Lord for their God, have his Spirit for their Guide; they are led by the Spirit. He prays that he might be enlivened to do God's will. But we should especially seek the destruction of our sins, our worst enemies, that we may be devotedly God's servants.
Teach me to do thy will,.... Revealed in the word; which saints desire a greater knowledge of in order to do it, and in which they delight; and also are desirous of being taught, and to practise submission to the will of God under afflictions; which was now the case of the psalmist;
for thou art my God; his covenant God; and from whom all his afflictions came in a covenant way, and therefore desires to be instructed by him in them; see Jeremiah 31:18;
thy Spirit is good; thy holy good Spirit, as the Targum; the Spirit of thy holiness, as the Arabic version: the Holy Spirit of God is meant, the third Person in the Trinity; who is "good" essentially, being of the same nature and essence with the Father and Son, with God, who is only good; and effectively is the author of the good work of grace upon the heart, and of the several particular graces there implanted, and who performs many good offices to the saints;
lead me into the land of uprightness; or, "let thy good Spirit lead me into the land of uprightness" (z): either into a right land, as the Targum, where honesty prevails, and honest and upright men live; or, "through a plain way" (a), easy to be found, in which he should not err, and where would be no occasion of stumbling; or, "through the way of life", as the Syriac version; the way to eternal life, to heaven and happiness; the land where only truly righteous and upright persons dwell: such will be the new heavens and the new earth, as well as the ultimate state of glory, 2 Peter 3:13; and to this the Spirit of God is the leader and guide of his people, Psalm 48:14.
(z) So the Tigurine version, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius. (a) "per terram planam", Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
Land of uprightness.--Better, level land (Deuteronomy 4:43, "plain country;" comp. Jeremiah 48:21), here metaphorically of tranquility and happiness. (Comp. Isaiah 26:10; Psalm 27:11.)
for thou art my God; his covenant God; and from whom all his afflictions came in a covenant way, and therefore desires to be instructed by him in them; see Jeremiah 31:18;
thy Spirit is good; thy holy good Spirit, as the Targum; the Spirit of thy holiness, as the Arabic version: the Holy Spirit of God is meant, the third Person in the Trinity; who is "good" essentially, being of the same nature and essence with the Father and Son, with God, who is only good; and effectively is the author of the good work of grace upon the heart, and of the several particular graces there implanted, and who performs many good offices to the saints;
lead me into the land of uprightness; or, "let thy good Spirit lead me into the land of uprightness" (z): either into a right land, as the Targum, where honesty prevails, and honest and upright men live; or, "through a plain way" (a), easy to be found, in which he should not err, and where would be no occasion of stumbling; or, "through the way of life", as the Syriac version; the way to eternal life, to heaven and happiness; the land where only truly righteous and upright persons dwell: such will be the new heavens and the new earth, as well as the ultimate state of glory, 2 Peter 3:13; and to this the Spirit of God is the leader and guide of his people, Psalm 48:14.
(z) So the Tigurine version, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius. (a) "per terram planam", Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.