Psalm 143

A Cry for Help

A Davidic psalm.

Lord, hear my prayer.
In Your faithfulness listen to my plea,
and in Your righteousness answer me.(A)
Do not bring Your servant into judgment,(B)
for no one alive is righteous in Your sight.(C)

For the enemy has pursued me,
crushing me to the ground,
making me live in darkness
like those long dead.(D)
My spirit is weak within me;
my heart is overcome with dismay.(E)

I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all You have done;
I reflect on the work of Your hands.(F)
I spread out my hands to You;
I am like parched land before You.(G)Selah

Answer me quickly, Lord;
my spirit fails.(H)
Don’t hide Your face from me,
or I will be like those
going down to the Pit.(I)
Let me experience
Your faithful love in the morning,
for I trust in You.(J)
Reveal to me the way I should go
because I long for You.(K)
Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;
I come to You for protection.[a](L)
10 Teach me to do Your will,
for You are my God.(M)
May Your gracious Spirit
lead me on level ground.(N)

11 Because of Your name, Yahweh,
let me live.
In Your righteousness deliver me from trouble,(O)
12 and in Your faithful love destroy my enemies.
Wipe out all those who attack me,
for I am Your servant.(P)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 143:9 One Hb ms, LXX; some Hb mss read I cover myself to You

Psalm 143

A psalm of David.

Lord, hear my prayer,(A)
    listen to my cry for mercy;(B)
in your faithfulness(C) and righteousness(D)
    come to my relief.
Do not bring your servant into judgment,
    for no one living is righteous(E) before you.
The enemy pursues me,
    he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(F)
    like those long dead.(G)
So my spirit grows faint within me;
    my heart within me is dismayed.(H)
I remember(I) the days of long ago;
    I meditate(J) on all your works
    and consider what your hands have done.
I spread out my hands(K) to you;
    I thirst for you like a parched land.[a]

Answer me quickly,(L) Lord;
    my spirit fails.(M)
Do not hide your face(N) from me
    or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,(O)
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(P) I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.(Q)
Rescue me(R) from my enemies,(S) Lord,
    for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(T) to do your will,
    for you are my God;(U)
may your good Spirit
    lead(V) me on level ground.(W)

11 For your name’s sake,(X) Lord, preserve my life;(Y)
    in your righteousness,(Z) bring me out of trouble.
12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;(AA)
    destroy all my foes,(AB)
    for I am your servant.(AC)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 143:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

143 Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.

And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.

Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.

I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.

10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

11 Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.

12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.