Add parallel Print Page Options

Give Heed to My Cry

A [a]Maskil of David. When he was [b]in the cave. A Prayer.

142 With my voice to Yahweh, I (A)cry aloud;
With my voice to Yahweh, I (B)make supplication.
I (C)pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my (D)distress before Him.
When (E)my spirit [c]was faint within me,
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have (F)hidden a trap for me.
Look to the right and see;
That there is (G)no one who regards me;
(H)A way of escape has been destroyed from me;
(I)No one cares for my soul.

I cried out to You, O Yahweh;
I said, “You are (J)my refuge,
My (K)portion in the (L)land of the living.
(M)Give heed to my cry of lamentation,
For I am (N)brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are too (O)strong for me.
(P)Bring my soul out of prison,
To give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will encircle me,
For You will (Q)deal bountifully with me.”

My Soul Reaches for You

A Psalm of David.

143 O Yahweh, hear my prayer,
(R)Give ear to my supplications!
Answer me in Your (S)faithfulness, in Your (T)righteousness!
And (U)do not enter into judgment with Your slave,
For (V)no one living is righteous in Your sight.
For the enemy has pursued my soul;
He has crushed my life (W)to the ground;
He (X)has made me inhabit dark places, like those who have long been dead.
Therefore (Y)my spirit was faint within me;
My heart was [d](Z)appalled within me.

I (AA)remember the days of old;
I (AB)meditate on all You have done;
I (AC)muse on the work of Your hands.
I (AD)stretch out my hands to You;
My (AE)soul reaches for You like a weary land. [e]Selah.

(AF)Answer me quickly, O Yahweh, my (AG)spirit wastes away;
(AH)Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like (AI)those who go down to the pit.
Cause me to hear Your (AJ)lovingkindness (AK)in the morning;
For I trust (AL)in You;
Cause me to know the (AM)way in which I should walk;
For to You I (AN)lift up my soul.
(AO)Deliver me from my enemies, O Yahweh,
I have concealed myself in You.

10 (AP)Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let (AQ)Your good Spirit (AR)lead me on level [f]ground.
11 (AS)For the sake of Your name, O Yahweh, (AT)revive me.
(AU)In Your righteousness bring my soul out of distress.
12 And in Your lovingkindness, [g](AV)cut off my enemies
And cause all those who assail my soul to (AW)perish,
For (AX)I am Your slave.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142 Title Possibly Contemplative, Didactic, Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 142 Title 1 Sam 22:1; 24:3
  3. Psalm 142:3 Lit fainted
  4. Psalm 143:4 Or desolate
  5. Psalm 143:6 Selah may mean Pause, Crescendo, Musical Interlude
  6. Psalm 143:10 Lit land
  7. Psalm 143:12 Or silence