Psalm 143–145

Psalm 143

A psalm of David.

¹Lord, hear my prayer.

Listen to my cry for your favor.

You are faithful and right.

Come and help me.

²Don’t take me to court and judge me,

because in your eyes no living person does what is right.

³My enemies chase me.

They crush me down to the ground.

They make me live in darkness

like those who died long ago.

⁴So I grow weak.

Deep down inside me, I’m afraid.

⁵I remember what happened long ago.

I spend time thinking about all of your acts.

I consider what your hands have done.

⁶I spread out my hands to you in prayer.

I’m thirsty for you, just as dry ground is thirsty for rain. Selah

⁷Lord, answer me quickly.

I’m growing weak.

Don’t turn your face away from me,

or I will be like those who go down into the grave.

⁸In the morning let me hear about your faithful love,

because I’ve put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should live,

because I pray to you.

⁹Lord, save me from my enemies,

because I go to you for safety.

¹⁰Teach me to do what you want,

because you are my God.

May your good Spirit

lead me on a level path.

¹¹Lord, be true to your name. Keep me alive.

Because you do what is right, get me out of trouble.

¹²Because your love is faithful, put an end to my enemies.

Destroy all of them, because I serve you.

Psalm 144

A psalm of David.

¹Give praise to the Lord. He is my rock.

He trains my hands for war.

He trains my fingers for battle.

²He is my loving God. He is like a fort to me.

He is my place of safety and the One who saves me.

He is like a shield that keeps me safe. I go to him for safety.

He brings nations under my control.

³Lord, what is a human being that you take care of him?

What is a son of man that you think about him?

⁴His life doesn’t last any longer than a breath.

His days are like a shadow that quickly disappears.

⁵Lord, open up your heavens and come down.

Touch the mountains, and they will pour out smoke.

⁶Send flashes of lightning and scatter my enemies.

Shoot your arrows and chase them away.

⁷My enemies are like a mighty flood.

Reach down from heaven and save me.

Save me from strangers who attack me.

⁸They tell all kinds of lies with their mouths.

Even when they make a promise by raising their right hands, they don’t mean it.

⁹God, I will sing a new song to you.

I will make music to you on a harp that has ten strings.

¹⁰You are the One who helps kings win battles.

You save your servant David from dying by the sword.

¹¹Save me. Set me free

from strangers who attack me.

They tell all kinds of lies with their mouths.

Even when they make a promise by raising their right hands, they don’t mean it.

¹²While our sons are young,

they will be like healthy plants.

Our daughters will be like pillars

that have been made to decorate a palace.

¹³Our storerooms will be filled

with every kind of food.

The sheep in our fields will increase by thousands.

They will increase by tens of thousands.

¹⁴Our oxen will pull heavy loads.

None of our city walls will be broken down.

No one will be carried off as a prisoner.

No cries of pain will be heard in our streets.

¹⁵Blessed are the people about whom all of those things are true.

Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.

Psalm 145

A psalm of praise. A psalm of David.

¹I will honor you, my God the King.

I will praise your name for ever and ever.

²Every day I will praise you.

I will praise your name for ever and ever.

³Lord, you are great. You are really worthy of praise.

No one can completely understand how great you are.

⁴Parents will praise your works to their children.

They will tell about your mighty acts.

⁵They will speak about your glorious majesty.

I will spend time thinking about your miracles.

⁶They will speak about the powerful and wonderful things you do.

I will talk about the great things you have done.

⁷They will celebrate your great goodness.

They will sing with joy about your holy acts.

⁸The Lord is gracious. He is kind and tender.

He is slow to get angry. He is full of love.

⁹The Lord is good to all.

He shows deep concern for everything he has made.

¹⁰Lord, every living thing you have made will praise you.

Your faithful people will praise you.

¹¹They will tell about your glorious kingdom.

They will speak about your power.

¹²Then all people will know about the mighty things you have done.

They will know about the glorious majesty of your kingdom.

¹³Your kingdom is a kingdom that will last forever.

Your rule will continue for all time to come.

The Lord is faithful and will keep all of his promises.

He is loving toward everything he has made.

¹⁴The Lord takes good care of all those who fall.

He lifts up all those who feel helpless.

¹⁵Every living thing looks to you for food.

You give it to them exactly when they need it.

¹⁶You open your hand

and satisfy the needs of every living creature.

¹⁷The Lord is right in everything he does.

He is loving toward everything he has made.

¹⁸The Lord is ready to help all those who call out to him.

He helps those who really mean it when they call out to him.

¹⁹He satisfies the needs of those who have respect for him.

He hears their cry and saves them.

²⁰The Lord watches over all those who love him.

But he will destroy all sinful people.

²¹I will praise the Lord with my mouth.

Let every creature praise his holy name

for ever and ever.