Psalm 143–145
An Earnest Appeal for Guidance and Deliverance
A Psalm of David.
Give ear to my supplications!
In Your faithfulness answer me,
And in Your righteousness.
2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
aFor in Your sight no one living is righteous.
3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in 1darkness,
Like those who have long been dead.
4 bTherefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.
5 cI remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your works;
I 2muse on the work of Your hands.
6 I spread out my hands to You;
dMy soul longs for You like a thirsty land.
Selah
My spirit fails!
Do not hide Your face from me,
eLest I 3be like those who 4go down into the pit.
8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness fin the morning,
For in You do I trust;
gCause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For hI lift up my soul to You.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
5In You I take shelter.
10 iTeach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
jYour Spirit is good.
Lead me in kthe land of uprightness.
11 lRevive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!
For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 In Your mercy mcut 6off 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.
1 Blessed be the Lord my Rock, aWho trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
2 My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues 1my people under me.
3 bLord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
4 cMan is like a breath;
dHis days are like a passing shadow.
5 eBow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
fTouch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6 gFlash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
7 Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
8 Whose mouth hspeaks 2lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9 I will ising a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 The One who gives 3salvation to kings,
jWho 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 kas plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as 4pillars,
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 5breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.
15 lHappy 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
aA Praise of David.
1 I will 1extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
3 bGreat is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And cHis greatness is 2unsearchable.
4 dOne generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5 3I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And 4on Your wondrous works.
6 Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
7 They shall 5utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.
8 eThe Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
9 fThe Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.
10 gAll 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 hYour kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all 6generations.
14 The Lord upholds all who fall,
And iraises up all who are bowed down.
15 jThe eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And kYou give them their food in due season.
lAnd satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
18 mThe Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him nin truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
20 oThe 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.