Psalms 143
A Prayer for Rescue from Enemies
A psalm of David. ▼▼The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
1O Yahweh, hear my prayer;listen to my supplications.
In your faithfulness answer me,
and in your righteousness.
2And do not enter into judgment with your servant,
because no one alive is righteous before you.
3For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground.
He has made me dwell in dark places
like those long dead.
4And so my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart ⌞within⌟ ▼
▼Literally “in the midst of”
me is desolate. 5I remember the days of long ago;
I meditate on all your doings. ▼
▼Hebrew “doing”
I muse on the labor of your hands.
6I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul longs for you like a dry land. Selah
7Quickly answer me, O Yahweh;
my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me,
or I will become
like those descending to the pit.
8Cause me to hear your loyal love in the morning,
for I trust you.
Cause me to know the way that I should go,
for I lift up my soul to you.
9Deliver me from my enemies, O Yahweh.
I take refuge in you. ▼
▼This reading for the difficult Hebrew “I cover to you” is suggested by the LXX
10Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;
your Spirit is good.
Lead me onto level ground.
11For your name’s sake, O Yahweh, preserve my life;
in your righteousness bring me ▼
▼Hebrew “my soul”
out of trouble. 12And in your loyal love destroy my enemies,
and exterminate all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant.
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