Psalm 142–143

A Prayer for Deliverance from Pursuers

142A maskil of David.

When he was in the cave. A prayer.^a

¹I cry out with my voice to Yahweh;

I implore favor with my voice to Yahweh.

²I pour out my complaint before him;

I declare my trouble before him.

³When my spirit faints within me,

you know my way.

On the path where I walk,

they have hidden a trap for me;

⁴look to my right and see.

There is no one looking out for me;

there is no escape for me;^b

no one cares for my soul.^c

⁵I cry out to you, O Yahweh.

I say, “You are my refuge,

my portion in the land of the living.”

⁶Attend to my cry,

for I am brought very low.

Deliver me from my pursuers,

for they are stronger than I.

⁷Bring me^d out of prison,

that I may give thanks to your name.

The righteous will encircle me,

because you will deal bountifully with me.

A Prayer for Rescue from Enemies

143A psalm of David.^a

¹O Yahweh, hear my prayer;

listen to my supplications.

In your faithfulness answer me,

and in your righteousness.

²And do not enter into judgment with your servant,

because no one alive is righteous before you.

³For the enemy has pursued my soul;

he has crushed my life to the ground.

He has made me dwell in dark places

like those long dead.

⁴And so my spirit grows faint within me;

my heart within^b me is desolate.

⁵I remember the days of long ago;

I meditate on all your doings.^c

I muse on the labor of your hands.

⁶I stretch out my hands to you;

my soul longs for you like a dry land. Selah

⁷Quickly answer me, O Yahweh;

my spirit fails.

Do not hide your face from me,

or I will become

like those descending to the pit.

⁸Cause me to hear your loyal love in the morning,

for I trust you.

Cause me to know the way that I should go,

for I lift up my soul to you.

⁹Deliver me from my enemies, O Yahweh.

I take refuge in you.^d

¹⁰Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;

your Spirit is good.

Lead me onto level ground.

¹¹For your name’s sake, O Yahweh, preserve my life;

in your righteousness bring me^e out of trouble.

¹²And in your loyal love destroy my enemies,

and exterminate all the adversaries of my soul,

for I am your servant.