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Verse
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Psalm chapter 143

English Standard Version

1Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! 2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you. 3For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead. 4Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled. 5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. 6 I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah 7 Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. 8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. 9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge. 10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! 11 For your name 's sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! 12And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant.
New International Version

1A psalm of David. Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. 2Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you. 3The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in the darkness like those long dead. 4So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed. 5I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.
6I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land. 7Answer me quickly, Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. 8Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. 9Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you.
10Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. 11For your name’s sake, Lord, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. 12In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.
New American Standard Bible

1Hear my prayer, Lord, Listen to my pleadings! Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness! 2And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For no person living is righteous in Your sight. 3For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead. 4Therefore my spirit feels weak within me; My heart is appalled within me. 5I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your accomplishments; I reflect on the work of Your hands. 6I spread out my hands to You; My soul longs for You, like a weary land. Selah 7Answer me quickly, Lord, my spirit fails; Do not hide Your face from me, Or I will be the same as those who go down to the pit. 8Let me hear Your faithfulness in the morning, For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. 9Save me, Lord, from my enemies; I take refuge in You. 10Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. 11For the sake of Your name, Lord, revive me. In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble. 12And in Your faithfulness, destroy my enemies, And eliminate all those who attack my soul, For I am Your servant.
Christian Standard Bible

1A psalm of David. Lord, hear my prayer. In your faithfulness listen to my plea, and in your righteousness answer me.
2Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous in your sight. 3For the enemy has pursued me, crushing me to the ground, making me live in darkness like those long dead.
4My spirit is weak within me; my heart is overcome with dismay. 5I remember the days of old; I meditate on all you have done; I reflect on the work of your hands.
6I spread out my hands to you; I am like parched land before you. Selah 7Answer me quickly, Lord; my spirit fails. Don’t hide your face from me, or I will be like those going down to the Pit. 8Let me experience your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in you. Reveal to me the way I should go because I appeal to you. 9Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I come to you for protection.
10Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground. 11For your name’s sake, Lord, let me live. In your righteousness deliver me from trouble, 12and in your faithful love destroy my enemies. Wipe out all those who attack me, for I am your servant.
New Living Translation

1Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my plea! Answer me because you are faithful and righteous. 2Don’t put your servant on trial, for no one is innocent before you. 3My enemy has chased me. He has knocked me to the ground and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave. 4I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear. 5I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done.
6I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. Interlude
7Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don’t turn away from me, or I will die. 8Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. 9Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I run to you to hide me. 10Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. 11For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life. Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress. 12In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies and destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.
King James Version

1A Psalm of David. Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
2And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
4Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
5I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
6I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
7Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
8Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
9Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
10Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
11Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.
New King James Version

1{A Psalm of David.} Hear my prayer, O Lord, Give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, And in Your righteousness. 2Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no one living is righteous. 3For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in darkness, Like those who have long been dead. 4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; My heart within me is distressed. 5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands.
6I spread out my hands to You; My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah
7Answer me speedily, O Lord; My spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, Lest I be like those who go down into the pit. 8Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You. 9Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; In You I take shelter. 10 Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. 11 Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. 12In Your mercy cut off my enemies, And destroy all those who afflict my soul; For I am Your servant.

What does Psalm chapter 143 mean?

This psalm does not claim a specific event as inspiration. David hints at conspiring enemies, a threat of death, a need for advice, and an active escape. This may point to when David made a hasty retreat from Jerusalem when his son, Absalom, started a coup (2 Samuel 15:13–14). It might also have come from David's time evading the jealous violence of King Saul (1 Samuel 22:1).

David begins with an urgent prayer for rescue. Some enemy has pursued David to the point of despair. He feels overwhelmed and spiritually weak. Yet he also remembers all that the Lord has done for him. This inspires David to reach up to God with sincerity and humility (Psalm 143:1–6).

Urgency is repeated in the second half of the song along with requests for God's guidance. It seems David is in a very awkward condition, such that he's not sure what to do. Without the Lord's help, David doesn't see a means of victory. This is why he calls on the Lord for both rescue and instruction (Psalm 143:7–12).
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