Psalm 141-143
New King James Version
Prayer for Safekeeping from Wickedness
A Psalm of David.
141 Lord, I cry out to You;
Make haste to me!
Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.
2 Let my prayer be set before You (A)as incense,
(B)The lifting up of my hands as (C)the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my (D)mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice wicked works
With men who work iniquity;
(E)And do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 (F)Let the righteous strike me;
It shall be a kindness.
And let him rebuke me;
It shall be as excellent oil;
Let my head not refuse it.
For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.
6 Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the [a]cliff,
And they hear my words, for they are sweet.
7 Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave,
As when one plows and breaks up the earth.
8 But (G)my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord;
In You I take refuge;
[b]Do not leave my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from (H)the snares they have laid for me,
And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10 (I)Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
While I escape safely.
A Plea for Relief from Persecutors
A (J)Contemplation[c] of David. A Prayer (K)when he was in the cave.
142 I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
2 I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.
3 When my spirit [d]was (L)overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly (M)set a snare for me.
4 Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.
5 I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
6 [e]Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.
7 Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may (N)praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”
An Earnest Appeal for Guidance and Deliverance
A Psalm of David.
143 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
Give ear to my supplications!
In Your faithfulness answer me,
And in Your righteousness.
2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
(O)For in Your sight no one living is righteous.
3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in [f]darkness,
Like those who have long been dead.
4 (P)Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.
5 (Q)I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your works;
I [g]muse on the work of Your hands.
6 I spread out my hands to You;
(R)My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah
7 Answer me speedily, O Lord;
My spirit fails!
Do not hide Your face from me,
(S)Lest I [h]be like those who [i]go down into the pit.
8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness (T)in the morning,
For in You do I trust;
(U)Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For (V)I lift up my soul to You.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
[j]In You I take shelter.
10 (W)Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
(X)Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in (Y)the land of uprightness.
11 (Z)Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!
For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 In Your mercy (AA)cut[k] off my enemies,
And destroy all those who afflict my soul;
For I am Your servant.
Footnotes
- Psalm 141:6 rock
- Psalm 141:8 Lit. Do not make my soul bare
- Psalm 142:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 142:3 Lit. fainted
- Psalm 142:6 Give heed
- Psalm 143:3 dark places
- Psalm 143:5 ponder
- Psalm 143:7 become
- Psalm 143:7 Die
- Psalm 143:9 LXX, Vg. To You I flee
- Psalm 143:12 put an end to
Psalm 141-143
New International Version
Psalm 141
A psalm of David.
1 I call to you, Lord, come quickly(A) to me;
hear me(B) when I call to you.
2 May my prayer be set before you like incense;(C)
may the lifting up of my hands(D) be like the evening sacrifice.(E)
3 Set a guard over my mouth,(F) Lord;
keep watch over the door of my lips.(G)
4 Do not let my heart(H) be drawn to what is evil
so that I take part in wicked deeds(I)
along with those who are evildoers;
do not let me eat their delicacies.(J)
5 Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
let him rebuke me(K)—that is oil on my head.(L)
My head will not refuse it,
for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.
6 Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,(M)
and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
7 They will say, “As one plows(N) and breaks up the earth,(O)
so our bones have been scattered at the mouth(P) of the grave.”
8 But my eyes are fixed(Q) on you, Sovereign Lord;
in you I take refuge(R)—do not give me over to death.
9 Keep me safe(S) from the traps set by evildoers,(T)
from the snares(U) they have laid for me.
10 Let the wicked fall(V) into their own nets,
while I pass by in safety.(W)
Psalm 142[a]
A maskil[b] of David. When he was in the cave.(X) A prayer.
1 I cry aloud(Y) to the Lord;
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.(Z)
2 I pour out before him my complaint;(AA)
before him I tell my trouble.(AB)
3 When my spirit grows faint(AC) within me,
it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
people have hidden a snare for me.
4 Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;(AD)
no one cares(AE) for my life.
6 Listen to my cry,(AI)
for I am in desperate need;(AJ)
rescue me(AK) from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong(AL) for me.
7 Set me free from my prison,(AM)
that I may praise your name.(AN)
Then the righteous will gather about me
because of your goodness to me.(AO)
Psalm 143
A psalm of David.
1 Lord, hear my prayer,(AP)
listen to my cry for mercy;(AQ)
in your faithfulness(AR) and righteousness(AS)
come to my relief.
2 Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous(AT) before you.
3 The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(AU)
like those long dead.(AV)
4 So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.(AW)
5 I remember(AX) the days of long ago;
I meditate(AY) on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
6 I spread out my hands(AZ) to you;
I thirst for you like a parched land.[c]
7 Answer me quickly,(BA) Lord;
my spirit fails.(BB)
Do not hide your face(BC) from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,(BD)
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(BE) I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.(BF)
9 Rescue me(BG) from my enemies,(BH) Lord,
for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(BI) to do your will,
for you are my God;(BJ)
may your good Spirit
lead(BK) me on level ground.(BL)
Footnotes
- Psalm 142:1 In Hebrew texts 142:1-7 is numbered 142:2-8.
- Psalm 142:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 143:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.