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.
Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
(A)For in Your sight no one living is righteous.

For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in [a]darkness,
Like those who have long been dead.
(B)Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.

(C)I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your works;
I [b]muse on the work of Your hands.
I spread out my hands to You;
(D)My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah

Answer me speedily, O Lord;
My spirit fails!
Do not hide Your face from me,
(E)Lest I [c]be like those who [d]go down into the pit.
Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness (F)in the morning,
For in You do I trust;
(G)Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For (H)I lift up my soul to You.

Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
[e]In You I take shelter.
10 (I)Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
(J)Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in (K)the land of uprightness.

11 (L)Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!
For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 In Your mercy (M)cut[f] off my enemies,
And destroy all those who afflict my soul;
For I am Your servant.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 143:3 dark places
  2. Psalm 143:5 ponder
  3. Psalm 143:7 become
  4. Psalm 143:7 Die
  5. Psalm 143:9 LXX, Vg. To You I flee
  6. Psalm 143:12 put an end to

Psalm 143

A Psalm of David.

Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness.

And enter not into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no man living is [in himself] righteous or justified.(A)

For the enemy has pursued and persecuted my soul, he has crushed my life down to the ground; he has made me to dwell in dark places as those who have been long dead.

Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed and faints within me [wrapped in gloom]; my heart within my bosom grows numb.

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I ponder the work of Your hands.

I spread forth my hands to You; my soul thirsts after You like a thirsty land [for water]. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

Answer me speedily, O Lord, for my spirit fails; hide not Your face from me, lest I become like those who go down into the pit (the grave).

Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You.

Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; I flee to You to hide me.

10 Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me into a level country and into the land of uprightness.

11 Save my life, O Lord, for Your name’s sake; in Your righteousness, bring my life out of trouble and free me from distress.

12 And in your mercy and loving-kindness, cut off my enemies and destroy all those who afflict my inner self, for I am Your servant.