Psalms 143
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Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3 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.
4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
7 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.
8 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.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
11 Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Psalm 143:1-12
My Soul Thirsts for You
A Psalm of David.
1Hear my prayer, O Lord;
give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
2Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous before you.
3For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
5I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
6I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
7Answer me quickly, O Lord!
My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.
9Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
I have fled to you for refuge.
10Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
on level ground!
11For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life!
In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant.
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Psalm 143:1-12
Psalm 143
A psalm of David.
1Lord, hear my prayer,
listen to my cry for mercy;
in your faithfulness and righteousness
come to my relief.
2Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous before you.
3The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness
like those long dead.
4So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.
5I remember the days of long ago;
I meditate on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
6I spread out my hands to you;
I thirst for you like a parched land.
7Answer me quickly, Lord;
my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
8Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.
9Rescue me from my enemies, Lord,
for I hide myself in you.
10Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.
11For your name’s sake, Lord, preserve my life;
in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.
12In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;
destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant.
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
We are living in a time when the prevalence of enemies is exponential. Just let your political preference be known and half the nation is your enemy. Take a stand for or against any social issue and you will immediately have hateful comments via social media, texts, emails, and personal encounters. While David may have been concerned about traitors within his kingdom or another uprising of the Philistines, we, on the other hand, find that our enemies are the people we work with, go to school with, go to church with, or our next door neighbors.
A few biblical steps we can take are: 1) Pray. More issues are resolved in prayer than this world ever dreams. 2) Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44). You don't have to associate with your enemies or enjoy being around them but try to show them courtesy and respect, seeking to do them good. 3) Do not speak to your enemy in anger, sarcasm, or in jest. A soft answer turns away wrath (Proverbs 15:1). 4) Seek an agreement or compromise with your enemy as soon as possible (Matthew 5:25).
As you do these things, watch for the providence of God to work on your behalf. God is good, He loves you, and He will help you!
Kevin Wilfley
Retired pastor and Prayer Ministries director
