Psalm 143 is the 143rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Hear my prayer, O LORD". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible, and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 142. In Latin, it is known as "Domine exaudi orationem meam".[1] It is part of the final Davidic collection of psalms, comprising Psalms 138 to 145, which are specifically attributed to David in their opening verses.[2] It is one of the seven Penitential Psalms. The New King James Version calls it "An Earnest Appeal for Guidance and Deliverance".[3] The psalm has two equal sections, verses 1-6 and 7-12, separated by a Selah.[4]
The psalm is used as a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies; it has been set to music.
Text
Hebrew
The following table shows the Hebrew text[5][6] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).
For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; He hath crushed my life down to the ground; He hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
Cause 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 unto Thee have I lifted up my soul.
And in Thy mercy cut off mine enemies, And destroy all them that harass my soul; For I am Thy servant.
King James Version
Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
For 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.
Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
Hear 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.
Cause 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.
Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.
Theme
One of the Penitential Psalms, it is a prayer to be delivered from the psalmist's enemies.[7] It takes the form of a King's prayer for victory and peace. According to Augustine of Hippo this psalm was likely written during the period of the rebellion of David's son Absalom.[8]
Verse 11
"Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble."[9]
Father Stavros Akrotirianakis points out that in most English translations, verse 11 reads "in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble",[10] whereas the reading in Greek is "in your righteousness bring out of trouble my soul". This then affects the reading of verse 12. "This verse asks God specifically to destroy those who afflict our souls, not our lives."[11]Alexander Kirkpatrick notes that the verbs "revive" and "bring" should be read as future statements based on confidence in God, rather than as imperatives.[4]
In the Benedictine tradition, Benedict of Nursia selected the psalm to be sung on Saturdays at the Office for Lauds (Chapter XIII) after Psalm 51.[14] A number of monasteries still preserve this tradition.[15]
Psalm 143 is recited on the fourth Thursday of the four weekly cycles of liturgical prayers at Lauds (Morning Prayer) in the Liturgy of the Hours, and every Tuesday night at compline (night prayer).
Heinrich Schütz composed a metred paraphrase of Psalm 143 in German, "Herr, mein Gebet erhör in Gnad", SWV 248, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628.
Alan Hovhaness set verses 1 and 5 in his 1936 work Hear my prayer, O Lord.[18]
^Augustine, "Exposition on Psalm 143", Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 8. (Translated by J.E. Tweed) Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1888. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
