Psalm 143
English Standard Version
My Soul Thirsts for You
A Psalm of David.
143 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
(A)give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your (B)faithfulness answer me, in your (C)righteousness!
2 (D)Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous (E)before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;
(F)he has crushed my life to the ground;
(G)he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit (H)faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
5 (I)I remember the days of old;
(J)I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
6 (K)I stretch out my hands to you;
(L)my soul thirsts for you like (M)a parched land. Selah
7 (N)Answer me quickly, O Lord!
(O)My spirit fails!
(P)Hide not your face from me,
(Q)lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 (R)Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I (S)trust.
(T)Make me know the way I should go,
(U)for to you I lift up my soul.
9 (V)Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
I have fled to you for refuge.[a]
10 (W)Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
(X)Let your good Spirit (Y)lead me
on (Z)level ground!
11 (AA)For your name's sake, O Lord, (AB)preserve my life!
In your righteousness (AC)bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will (AD)cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your (AE)servant.
Footnotes
- Psalm 143:9 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts To you I have covered
Tehillim 143
Orthodox Jewish Bible
143 (Mizmor of Dovid) Hear my tefillah, Hashem, give ear to my techinot (supplications); in Thy emunah answer me, and in Thy tzedakah.
2 And enter not into mishpat with Thy eved; for in Thy sight shall no man living be yitzadak (justified).
3 For the oyev (enemy) hath persecuted my nefesh; he hath struck down my life to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in places of choshech (darkness), like metei olam (those long dead).
4 Therefore is my ruach become faint within me; my lev within me is desolate.
5 I remember yamim mikedem (days of old), I meditate on all Thy works; I muse on the ma’aseh (work) of Thy hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands unto Thee; my nefesh thirsteth after Thee, like an eretz ayefah (a parched, thirsty land). Selah.
7 Hear me speedily, Hashem; my ruach faileth; hide not Thy face from me, lest I be like those that go down into the bor (pit).
8 Cause me to hear Thy chesed in the boker; for in Thee do I trust; cause me to know the Derech wherein I should walk; for I lift up my nefesh unto Thee.
9 Save me, Hashem, from mine oyevim (enemies); I flee unto Thee to hide me.
10 Teach me to do Retzonecha (Thy will); for Thou art Elohai; may Thy Ruach Tov lead me on level ground.
11 Revive me, Hashem, l’ma’an (for the sake of) Thy Shem (Name); in Thy tzedakah bring my nefesh out of tzoros.
12 And in Thy chesed silence mine enemies, and destroy all them that oppress my nefesh; for I am Thy eved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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