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.

A Song to the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People

A Psalm of David.

144 Blessed be the Lord my Rock,
(N)Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues [g]my people under me.

(O)Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
(P)Man is like a breath;
(Q)His days are like a passing shadow.

(R)Bow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
(S)Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
(T)Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth (U)speaks [h]lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

I will (V)sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 The One who gives [i]salvation to kings,
(W)Who delivers David His servant
From the deadly sword.

11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood—
12 That our sons may be (X)as plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as [j]pillars,
Sculptured in palace style;
13 That our barns may be full,
Supplying all kinds of produce;
That our sheep may bring forth thousands
And ten thousands in our fields;
14 That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no [k]breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.
15 (Y)Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!

A Song of God’s Majesty and Love

(Z)A Praise of David.

145 I will [l]extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
(AA)Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And (AB)His greatness is [m]unsearchable.

(AC)One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
[n]I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And [o]on Your wondrous works.
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
They shall [p]utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.

(AD)The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
(AE)The Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.

10 (AF)All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,
And Your saints shall bless You.
11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
12 To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
13 (AG)Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all [q]generations.

14 The Lord upholds all who fall,
And (AH)raises up all who are bowed down.
15 (AI)The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And (AJ)You give them their food in due season.
16 You open Your hand
(AK)And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
18 (AL)The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him (AM)in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
20 (AN)The Lord preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

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
  7. Psalm 144:2 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; Syr., Tg. the peoples (cf. 18:47)
  8. Psalm 144:8 empty or worthless
  9. Psalm 144:10 deliverance
  10. Psalm 144:12 corner pillars
  11. Psalm 144:14 Lit. breach
  12. Psalm 145:1 praise
  13. Psalm 145:3 Beyond our understanding
  14. Psalm 145:5 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, LXX, Syr., Vg. They
  15. Psalm 145:5 Lit. on the words of Your wondrous works
  16. Psalm 145:7 eagerly utter, lit. bubble forth
  17. Psalm 145:13 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, LXX, Syr., Vg. add The Lord is faithful in all His words, And holy in all His works

Psalm 143

A psalm of David.

Lord, hear my prayer,(A)
    listen to my cry for mercy;(B)
in your faithfulness(C) and righteousness(D)
    come to my relief.
Do not bring your servant into judgment,
    for no one living is righteous(E) before you.
The enemy pursues me,
    he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(F)
    like those long dead.(G)
So my spirit grows faint within me;
    my heart within me is dismayed.(H)
I remember(I) the days of long ago;
    I meditate(J) on all your works
    and consider what your hands have done.
I spread out my hands(K) to you;
    I thirst for you like a parched land.[a]

Answer me quickly,(L) Lord;
    my spirit fails.(M)
Do not hide your face(N) from me
    or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,(O)
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(P) I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.(Q)
Rescue me(R) from my enemies,(S) Lord,
    for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(T) to do your will,
    for you are my God;(U)
may your good Spirit
    lead(V) me on level ground.(W)

11 For your name’s sake,(X) Lord, preserve my life;(Y)
    in your righteousness,(Z) bring me out of trouble.
12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;(AA)
    destroy all my foes,(AB)
    for I am your servant.(AC)

Psalm 144

Of David.

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,(AD)
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress,(AE)
    my stronghold(AF) and my deliverer,
my shield,(AG) in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples[b](AH) under me.

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

Part your heavens,(AL) Lord, and come down;(AM)
    touch the mountains, so that they smoke.(AN)
Send forth lightning(AO) and scatter(AP) the enemy;
    shoot your arrows(AQ) and rout them.
Reach down your hand from on high;(AR)
    deliver me and rescue me(AS)
from the mighty waters,(AT)
    from the hands of foreigners(AU)
whose mouths are full of lies,(AV)
    whose right hands(AW) are deceitful.(AX)

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

From the deadly sword(BC) 11 deliver me;
    rescue me(BD) from the hands of foreigners(BE)
whose mouths are full of lies,(BF)
    whose right hands are deceitful.(BG)

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

Psalm 145[d]

A psalm of praise. Of David.

I will exalt you,(BO) my God the King;(BP)
    I will praise your name(BQ) for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise(BR) you
    and extol your name(BS) for ever and ever.

Great(BT) is the Lord and most worthy of praise;(BU)
    his greatness no one can fathom.(BV)
One generation(BW) commends your works to another;
    they tell(BX) of your mighty acts.(BY)
They speak of the glorious splendor(BZ) of your majesty—
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[e](CA)
They tell(CB) of the power of your awesome works—(CC)
    and I will proclaim(CD) your great deeds.(CE)
They celebrate your abundant goodness(CF)
    and joyfully sing(CG) of your righteousness.(CH)

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,(CI)
    slow to anger and rich in love.(CJ)

The Lord is good(CK) to all;
    he has compassion(CL) on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you,(CM) Lord;
    your faithful people extol(CN) you.(CO)
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom(CP)
    and speak of your might,(CQ)
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts(CR)
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.(CS)
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,(CT)
    and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy(CU) in all he promises(CV)
    and faithful in all he does.[f]
14 The Lord upholds(CW) all who fall
    and lifts up all(CX) who are bowed down.(CY)
15 The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food(CZ) at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
    and satisfy the desires(DA) of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous(DB) in all his ways
    and faithful in all he does.(DC)
18 The Lord is near(DD) to all who call on him,(DE)
    to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires(DF) of those who fear him;(DG)
    he hears their cry(DH) and saves them.(DI)
20 The Lord watches over(DJ) all who love him,(DK)
    but all the wicked he will destroy.(DL)

21 My mouth will speak(DM) in praise of the Lord.
    Let every creature(DN) praise his holy name(DO)
    for ever and ever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 143:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  2. 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
  3. Psalm 144:14 Or our chieftains will be firmly established
  4. Psalm 145:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which (including verse 13b) begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  5. Psalm 145:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text On the glorious splendor of your majesty / and on your wonderful works I will meditate
  6. Psalm 145:13 One manuscript of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text do not have the last two lines of verse 13.