Psalm 142–143

A Prayer for Help^+x

142 I call to the Lord for help;

I plead with him.

²I bring him all my complaints;

I tell him all my troubles.

³When I am ready to give up,

he knows what I should do.

In the path where I walk,

my enemies have hidden a trap for me.

⁴When I look beside me,

I see that there is no one to help me,

no one to protect me.

No one cares for me.

⁵Lord, I cry to you for help;

you, Lord, are my protector;

you are all I want in this life.

⁶Listen to my cry for help,

for I am sunk in despair.

Save me from my enemies;

they are too strong for me.

⁷Set me free from my distress;^y

then in the assembly of your people I will praise you

because of your goodness to me.

A Prayer for Help^z

143 Lord, hear my prayer!

In your righteousness listen to my plea;

answer me in your faithfulness!

^2*Don’t put me, your servant, on trial;

no one is innocent in your sight.

³My enemies have hunted me down

and completely defeated me.

They have put me in a dark prison,

and I am like those who died long ago.

⁴So I am ready to give up;

I am in deep despair.

⁵I remember the days gone by;

I think about all that you have done,

I bring to mind all your deeds.

⁶I lift up my hands to you in prayer;

like dry ground my soul is thirsty for you.

⁷Answer me now, Lord!

I have lost all hope.

Don’t hide yourself from me,

or I will be among those who go down to the world of the dead.

⁸Remind me each morning of your constant love,

for I put my trust in you.

My prayers go up to you;

show me the way I should go.

⁹I go to you for protection, Lord;

rescue me from my enemies.

¹⁰You are my God;

teach me to do your will.

Be good to me, and guide me on a safe path.

¹¹Rescue me, Lord, as you have promised;

in your goodness save me from my troubles!

¹²Because of your love for me, kill my enemies

and destroy all my oppressors,

for I am your servant.