Psalm 43, “Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause,” is a prayer of longing to return to God’s altar: “Send forth thy light and thy truth… And I will go in to the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth.” For four centuries priests began the traditional Latin Mass by praying it at the foot of the altar. It is the companion of Psalm 42, with the same refrain. In the Douay-Rheims it is numbered Psalm 42. Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.
Psalm 43 in the Douay-Rheims Bible
A psalm for David. Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy: deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man.
For thou art God my strength: why hast thou cast me off? and why do I go sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me?
Send forth thy light and thy truth: they have conducted me, and brought me unto thy holy hill, and into thy tabernacles.
And I will go in to the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth.
To thee, O God my God, I will give praise upon the harp: why art thou sad, O my soul? and why dost thou disquiet me?
Hope in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 43 or Psalm 42?
The Douay-Rheims Bible follows the numbering of the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint, while most modern Bibles follow the Hebrew. So the Douay’s Psalm 42 is Psalm 43 in the New American Bible and other modern translations. In Latin the psalm begins Iudica me, Deus. See how many psalms are there?
What the psalm means
- A plea for justice: the psalmist asks God to defend him against deceitful enemies.
- Feeling cast off: “why hast thou cast me off? and why do I go sorrowful?”
- Light and truth as guides: “Send forth thy light and thy truth: they have conducted me… unto thy holy hill.”
- Joy at the altar: “I will go in to the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth.”
- The refrain: “why art thou sad, O my soul?… Hope in God,” shared with Psalm 42.
How the Church uses Psalm 43
- In the traditional Latin Mass, the priest and server prayed it at the foot of the altar: Introibo ad altare Dei, “I will go in to the altar of God.” See the Order of the Mass.
- On the old Passion Sunday (the Fifth Sunday of Lent), called “Judica Sunday” from its entrance antiphon. See Lent.
- Before Mass, as a personal prayer of preparation.
A prayer with Psalm 43
Written for this page:
Send forth your light and your truth, O God; let them lead me to your holy mountain.
I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my gladness.
Why are you downcast, my soul? Hope in God;
I will praise him still, my Savior and my God. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What does “Introibo ad altare Dei” mean?
“I will go in to the altar of God,” from Psalm 43:4 (42:4 in the Douay-Rheims), the opening words of the traditional Latin Mass.
What is the relationship between Psalms 42 and 43?
They share the same refrain, “Why art thou sad, O my soul?… Hope in God,” and many scholars think they were originally one psalm.
More psalms and prayers
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Psalm 42 (43), Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- The prayer was written for this page.