Psalm 142[a]

A maskil[b] of David. When he was in the cave.(A) A prayer.

I cry aloud(B) to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.(C)
I pour out before him my complaint;(D)
    before him I tell my trouble.(E)

When my spirit grows faint(F) within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
    people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;(G)
    no one cares(H) for my life.

I cry to you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,(I)
    my portion(J) in the land of the living.”(K)

Listen to my cry,(L)
    for I am in desperate need;(M)
rescue me(N) from those who pursue me,
    for they are too strong(O) for me.
Set me free from my prison,(P)
    that I may praise your name.(Q)
Then the righteous will gather about me
    because of your goodness to me.(R)

Psalm 143

A psalm of David.

Lord, hear my prayer,(S)
    listen to my cry for mercy;(T)
in your faithfulness(U) and righteousness(V)
    come to my relief.
Do not bring your servant into judgment,
    for no one living is righteous(W) before you.
The enemy pursues me,
    he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(X)
    like those long dead.(Y)
So my spirit grows faint within me;
    my heart within me is dismayed.(Z)
I remember(AA) the days of long ago;
    I meditate(AB) on all your works
    and consider what your hands have done.
I spread out my hands(AC) to you;
    I thirst for you like a parched land.[c]

Answer me quickly,(AD) Lord;
    my spirit fails.(AE)
Do not hide your face(AF) from me
    or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,(AG)
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(AH) I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.(AI)
Rescue me(AJ) from my enemies,(AK) Lord,
    for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(AL) to do your will,
    for you are my God;(AM)
may your good Spirit
    lead(AN) me on level ground.(AO)

11 For your name’s sake,(AP) Lord, preserve my life;(AQ)
    in your righteousness,(AR) bring me out of trouble.
12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;(AS)
    destroy all my foes,(AT)
    for I am your servant.(AU)

Psalm 144

Of David.

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,(AV)
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress,(AW)
    my stronghold(AX) and my deliverer,
my shield,(AY) in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples[d](AZ) under me.

Lord, what are human beings(BA) that you care for them,
    mere mortals that you think of them?
They are like a breath;(BB)
    their days are like a fleeting shadow.(BC)

Part your heavens,(BD) Lord, and come down;(BE)
    touch the mountains, so that they smoke.(BF)
Send forth lightning(BG) and scatter(BH) the enemy;
    shoot your arrows(BI) and rout them.
Reach down your hand from on high;(BJ)
    deliver me and rescue me(BK)
from the mighty waters,(BL)
    from the hands of foreigners(BM)
whose mouths are full of lies,(BN)
    whose right hands(BO) are deceitful.(BP)

I will sing a new song(BQ) to you, my God;
    on the ten-stringed lyre(BR) I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings,(BS)
    who delivers his servant David.(BT)

From the deadly sword(BU) 11 deliver me;
    rescue me(BV) from the hands of foreigners(BW)
whose mouths are full of lies,(BX)
    whose right hands are deceitful.(BY)

12 Then our sons in their youth
    will be like well-nurtured plants,(BZ)
and our daughters will be like pillars(CA)
    carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns will be filled(CB)
    with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
    by tens of thousands in our fields;
14     our oxen(CC) will draw heavy loads.[e]
There will be no breaching of walls,(CD)
    no going into captivity,
    no cry of distress in our streets.(CE)
15 Blessed is the people(CF) of whom this is true;
    blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 In Hebrew texts 142:1-7 is numbered 142:2-8.
  2. Psalm 142:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 143:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  4. Psalm 144:2 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, Jerome and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text subdues my people
  5. Psalm 144:14 Or our chieftains will be firmly established

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