Give Ear to My Voice

A Psalm of David.

141 O Lord, I call upon you; (A)hasten to me!
    Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
Let (B)my prayer be counted as incense before you,
    and (C)the lifting up of my hands as (D)the evening sacrifice!

(E)Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
    (F)keep watch over the door of my lips!
(G)Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
    to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who (H)work iniquity,
    and (I)let me not eat of their delicacies!

(J)Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
    let my head not refuse it.
Yet (K)my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
When their judges are (L)thrown over the cliff,[a]
    then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
    so shall our bones (M)be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.[b]

But (N)my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;
    (O)in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless![c]
Keep me from (P)the trap that they have laid for me
    and from the snares of evildoers!
10 Let the wicked (Q)fall into their own nets,
    while I pass by safely.

You Are My Refuge

A Maskil[d] of David, when he was in (R)the cave. A Prayer.

142 With my voice I (S)cry out to the Lord;
    with my voice I (T)plead for mercy to the Lord.
I (U)pour out my complaint before him;
    I tell my trouble before him.

When my spirit (V)faints within me,
    you know my way!
In the path where I walk
    they have (W)hidden a trap for me.
(X)Look to the (Y)right and see:
    (Z)there is none who takes notice of me;
(AA)no refuge remains to me;
    no one cares for my soul.

I cry to you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my (AB)refuge,
    my (AC)portion in (AD)the land of the living.”
(AE)Attend to my cry,
    for (AF)I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
    (AG)for they are too strong for me!
(AH)Bring me out of prison,
    that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
    for you will (AI)deal bountifully with me.

My Soul Thirsts for You

A Psalm of David.

143 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
    (AJ)give ear to my pleas for mercy!
    In your (AK)faithfulness answer me, in your (AL)righteousness!
(AM)Enter not into judgment with your servant,
    for no one living is righteous (AN)before you.

For the enemy has pursued my soul;
    (AO)he has crushed my life to the ground;
    (AP)he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
Therefore my spirit (AQ)faints within me;
    my heart within me is appalled.

(AR)I remember the days of old;
    (AS)I meditate on all that you have done;
    I ponder the work of your hands.
(AT)I stretch out my hands to you;
    (AU)my soul thirsts for you like (AV)a parched land. Selah

(AW)Answer me quickly, O Lord!
    (AX)My spirit fails!
(AY)Hide not your face from me,
    (AZ)lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
(BA)Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
    for in you I (BB)trust.
(BC)Make me know the way I should go,
    (BD)for to you I lift up my soul.

(BE)Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
    I have fled to you for refuge.[e]
10 (BF)Teach me to do your will,
    for you are my God!
(BG)Let your good Spirit (BH)lead me
    on (BI)level ground!

11 (BJ)For your name's sake, O Lord, (BK)preserve my life!
    In your righteousness (BL)bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will (BM)cut off my enemies,
    and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
    for I am your (BN)servant.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 141:6 Or When their judges fall into the hands of the Rock
  2. Psalm 141:7 The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 6, 7 is uncertain
  3. Psalm 141:8 Hebrew refuge; do not pour out my life!
  4. Psalm 142:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  5. Psalm 143:9 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts To you I have covered

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