Psa 143:7-10 | NETfull | STEP | Answer me quickly, Lord ! My strength is fading. Do not reject me, or I will join those descending into the grave.

Psalms 143:7-10

7 Answer me quickly, Lord!
My strength is fading. ^{▼▼ Heb “my spirit is failing.”}
Do not reject me, ^{▼▼ Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” (1) can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) can carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).}
or I will join ^{▼▼ Heb “I will be equal with.”} those descending into the grave. ^{▼▼ Heb “the pit.” The Hebrew noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit; cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See Ps 28:1.}
8 May I hear about your loyal love in the morning, ^{▼▼ Heb “cause me to hear in the morning your loyal love.” Here “loyal love” probably stands metonymically for an oracle of assurance promising God’s intervention as an expression of his loyal love.} ^{▼▼ The morning is sometimes viewed as the time of divine intervention (see Pss 30:5; 59:16; 90:14).}
for I trust in you.
Show me the way I should go, ^{▼▼ The way probably refers here to God’s moral and ethical standards and requirements (see v. 10).}
because I long for you. ^{▼▼ Heb “for to you I lift up my life.” The Hebrew expression נָאָשׂ נֶפֶשׁ (na’as nefesh, “to lift up [one’s] life”) means “to desire; to long for” (see Deut 24:15; Prov 19:18; Jer 22:27; 44:14; Hos 4:8, as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 16).}
9 Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord!
I run to you for protection. ^{▼▼ Heb “to you I cover,” which makes no sense. The translation assumes an emendation to נַסְתִּי (nastiy, “I flee,” a Qal perfect, first singular form from נוּס, nos). Confusion of kaf (כ) and nun (נ) is attested elsewhere (see P. K. McCarter, Textual Criticism [GBS], 48). The collocation of נוּס (“flee”) with אֶל (’el, “to”) is well-attested.}
10 Teach me to do what pleases you, ^{▼▼ Or “your will.” See Ps 40:8.}
for you are my God.
May your kind presence ^{▼▼ Heb “your good spirit.” God’s “spirit” may refer here to his presence (see the note on the word “presence” in Ps 139:7) or to his personal Spirit (see Ps 51:10).}
lead me ^{▼▼ The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive. Taking the statement as a prayer fits well with the petitionary tone of vv. 7–10a.} into a level land. ^{▼▼ A level land (where one can walk free of obstacles) here symbolizes divine blessing and protection. See Pss 26:12 and 27:11 for similar imagery.}