TG
Everything TrueGospel offers, in one place.

Study

Bible Reader Scripture Search Word Study & Lexicon Bible Study Builder Reading Plans Verse Chains

Reference

The Reference Library Topical Index

Learn

True Gospel Institute

Grow & Share

Blog Q&A Sermon Notes Bible Studies Podcast

Community

Community Student Dashboard

About

About Us Support Us Contact Log In Create Free Account
BSB
← Prev Next →

Psalms 143

BSB·12 verses ·Old Testament
✦ Tap any verse to open Scripture Explorer — original Hebrew/Greek, commentary, notes & highlights
1O LORDיְהוָ֤ה׀Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, hearשְׁמַ֬עšə·ma‘ — to hear, listen, obeyH8085 — Full Word Study → my prayerתְּפִלָּתִ֗יtə·p̄il·lā·ṯî — Prayer; formal or spontaneous petition to GodH8605 — Full Word Study →. In Your faithfulnessבֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ֥be·’ĕ·mu·nā·ṯə·ḵā — Faithfulness, steadfastness, reliabilityH530 — Full Word Study →, give earהַאֲזִ֥ינָהha·’ă·zî·nāh — to listen, give ear, hear attentivelyH238 — Full Word Study → toאֶל־’el- — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study → my pleaתַּחֲנוּנַ֑יta·ḥă·nū·nay — Earnest plea; humble supplication or entreatyH8469 — Full Word Study →; in Your righteousnessבְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃bə·ṣiḏ·qā·ṯe·ḵā — Righteousness, justice, right conductH6666 — Full Word Study →, answer meעֲ֝נֵ֗נִי‘ă·nê·nî — To answer, respond, or testifyH6030 — Full Word Study →. 2Do notוְאַל־wə·’al- — do not; negative imperative particleH408 — Full Word Study → bringתָּב֣וֹאtā·ḇō·w — to come, go, enter, arriveH935 — Full Word Study → Your servantעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ‘aḇ·de·ḵā — Servant; slave; one in bondage or serviceH5650 — Full Word Study → into judgmentבְ֭מִשְׁפָּטḇə·miš·pāṭ — Justice, judgment, or legal decisionH4941 — Full Word Study →, forכִּ֤יkî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → no oneלֹֽא־lō- — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → aliveחָֽי׃ḥāy — alive, living, lifeH2416 — Full Word Study → is righteousיִצְדַּ֖קyiṣ·daq — To be righteous, justify, vindicateH6663 — Full Word Study → before Youלְפָנֶ֣יךָlə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā — face; presence; beforeH6440 — Full Word Study →. 3Forכִּ֥יkî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → the enemyאוֹיֵ֨ב׀’ō·w·yêḇ — Enemy; adversary; one who opposesH341 — Full Word Study → has pursuedרָ֘דַ֤ףrā·ḏap̄ — to pursue, chase, or persecuteH7291 — Full Word Study → my soulנַפְשִׁ֗יnap̄·šî — soul, life, person, selfH5315 — Full Word Study →, crushingדִּכָּ֣אdik·kā — to crush, break, or oppressH1792 — Full Word Study → my lifeחַיָּתִ֑יḥay·yā·ṯî — alive, living, lifeH2416 — Full Word Study → to the groundלָ֭אָרֶץlā·’ā·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study →, making me dwellהוֹשִׁיבַ֥נִיhō·wō·šî·ḇa·nî — to dwell, inhabit, settle, remainH3427 — Full Word Study → in darknessבְ֝מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗יםḇə·ma·ḥă·šak·kîm — darkness, obscurity, gloomH4285 — Full Word Study → like those long sinceעוֹלָֽם׃‘ō·w·lām — forever, eternity, perpetual durationH5769 — Full Word Study → deadכְּמֵתֵ֥יkə·mê·ṯê — to die; to put to death; to killH4191 — Full Word Study →. 4My spiritרוּחִ֑יrū·ḥî — Spirit, breath, wind, or inner dispositionH7307 — Full Word Study → grows faintוַתִּתְעַטֵּ֣ףwat·tiṯ·‘aṭ·ṭêp̄ — to wrap, cover, or overcome with darkness/weaknessH5848 — Full Word Study → within meעָלַ֣י‘ā·lay — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study →; my heartלִבִּֽי׃lib·bî — Heart; the center of emotion, will, and intellectH3820 — Full Word Study → is dismayedיִשְׁתּוֹמֵ֥םyiš·tō·w·mêm — to be desolate; to be appalled; to lie wasteH8074 — Full Word Study → inside meבְּ֝תוֹכִ֗יbə·ṯō·w·ḵî — midst, among, between, throughH8432 — Full Word Study →. 5I rememberזָ֘כַ֤רְתִּיzā·ḵar·tî — to remember, recall, or mentionH2142 — Full Word Study → the daysיָמִ֨ים׀yā·mîm — day; time; period; ageH3117 — Full Word Study → of oldמִקֶּ֗דֶםmiq·qe·ḏem — East; ancient times; beforeH6924 — Full Word Study →; I meditateהָגִ֥יתִיhā·ḡî·ṯî — to mutter, meditate, speak quietlyH1897 — Full Word Study → on allבְכָל־ḇə·ḵāl- — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → Your worksפָּעֳלֶ֑ךָpā·‘o·le·ḵā — work, deed, or actionH6467 — Full Word Study →; I considerאֲשׂוֹחֵֽחַ׃’ă·śō·w·ḥê·aḥ — to muse, meditate, speak, or communeH7878 — Full Word Study → the workבְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖הbə·ma·‘ă·śêh — Work, deed, or actionH4639 — Full Word Study → of Your handsיָדֶ֣יךָyā·ḏe·ḵā — hand; power, strength, controlH3027 — Full Word Study →. 6I stretch outפֵּרַ֣שְׂתִּיpê·raś·tî — to spread, stretch out, or extendH6566 — Full Word Study → my handsיָדַ֣יyā·ḏay — hand; power, strength, controlH3027 — Full Word Study → to Youאֵלֶ֑יךָ’ê·le·ḵā — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study →; my soulנַפְשִׁ֓י׀nap̄·šî — soul, life, person, selfH5315 — Full Word Study → thirstsעֲיֵפָ֖ה‘ă·yê·p̄āh — Weary, faint, exhaustedH5889 — Full Word Study → for You like a parched landכְּאֶֽרֶץ־kə·’e·reṣ- — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study →. Selahסֶֽלָה׃se·lāh — Pause or SelahH5542 — Full Word Study → 7Answer meעֲנֵ֨נִי׀‘ă·nê·nî — To answer, respond, or testifyH6030 — Full Word Study → quicklyמַ֘הֵ֤רma·hêr — to hurry, hasten, act quickly or speedilyH4118 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיְהוָה֮Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →; my spiritר֫וּחִ֥יrū·ḥî — Spirit, breath, wind, or inner dispositionH7307 — Full Word Study → failsכָּלְתָ֪הkā·lə·ṯāh — to finish, complete, or bring to an endH3615 — Full Word Study →. Do notאַל־’al- — do not; negative imperative particleH408 — Full Word Study → hideתַּסְתֵּ֣רtas·têr — To hide, conceal, or keep secretH5641 — Full Word Study → Your faceפָּנֶ֣יךָpā·ne·ḵā — face; presence; beforeH6440 — Full Word Study → from meמִמֶּ֑נִּיmim·men·nî — from, out of, by means ofH4480 — Full Word Study →, or I will be like thoseוְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּיwə·nim·šal·tî — To speak in parables or proverbs; to make a comparisonH4911 — Full Word Study → who descendיֹ֥רְדֵיyō·rə·ḏê — To descend, go down, come downH3381 — Full Word Study → to the Pitבֽוֹר׃ḇō·wr — Pit, cistern, or dungeon; a deep holeH953 — Full Word Study →. 8Let me hearהַשְׁמִ֘יעֵ֤נִיhaš·mî·‘ê·nî — to hear, listen, obeyH8085 — Full Word Study → Your loving devotionחַסְדֶּךָ֮ḥas·de·ḵā — Covenant loyalty and steadfast kindnessH2617 — Full Word Study → in the morningבַבֹּ֨קֶר׀ḇab·bō·qer — Morning; daybreak; the early part of the dayH1242 — Full Word Study →, forכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → I have put my trustבָ֫טָ֥חְתִּיḇā·ṭā·ḥə·tî — to trust, rely on, have confidenceH982 — Full Word Study → in You. Teach meהוֹדִיעֵ֗נִיhō·w·ḏî·‘ê·nî — to know, understand, perceiveH3045 — Full Word Study → the wayדֶּֽרֶךְ־de·reḵ- — way, path, journey, conductH1870 — Full Word Study → I should walkאֵלֵ֑ךְ’ê·lêḵ — to go, walk, travel, proceedH1980 — Full Word Study →, forכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → to Youאֵ֝לֶיךָ’ê·le·ḵā — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study → I lift upנָשָׂ֥אתִיnā·śā·ṯî — To lift up, raise, or bear; to carry or supportH5375 — Full Word Study → my soulנַפְשִֽׁי׃nap̄·šî — soul, life, person, selfH5315 — Full Word Study →. 9Deliver meהַצִּילֵ֖נִיhaṣ·ṣî·lê·nî — to rescue, deliver, or snatch awayH5337 — Full Word Study → from my enemiesמֵאֹיְבַ֥י׀mê·’ō·yə·ḇay — Enemy; adversary; one who opposesH341 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיְהוָ֗הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →; I flee to Youאֵלֶ֥יךָ’ê·le·ḵā — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study → for refugeכִסִּֽתִי׃ḵis·si·ṯî — to cover, conceal, hideH3680 — Full Word Study →. 10Teach meלַמְּדֵ֤נִי׀lam·mə·ḏê·nî — To learn; to teach; to become accustomedH3925 — Full Word Study → to doלַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹתla·‘ă·śō·wṯ — to do, make, or accomplish; to act or performH6213 — Full Word Study → Your willרְצוֹנֶךָ֮rə·ṣō·w·ne·ḵā — Favor, pleasure, or acceptable willH7522 — Full Word Study →, forכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → Youאַתָּ֪ה’at·tāh — You; second-person pronoun (singular or plural)H859 — Full Word Study → are my Godאֱל֫וֹהָ֥י’ĕ·lō·w·hāy — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →. May Your goodטוֹבָ֑הṭō·w·ḇāh — good, beneficial, pleasing, wellH2896 — Full Word Study → Spiritרוּחֲךָ֥rū·ḥă·ḵā — Spirit, breath, wind, or inner dispositionH7307 — Full Word Study → lead meתַּ֝נְחֵ֗נִיtan·ḥê·nî — To lead, guide, direct with authorityH5148 — Full Word Study → on levelמִישֽׁוֹר׃mî·šō·wr — level ground, plains, or moral straightnessH4334 — Full Word Study → groundבְּאֶ֣רֶץbə·’e·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study →. 11For the sakeלְמַֽעַן־lə·ma·‘an- — because of, for the sake of, in order thatH4616 — Full Word Study → of Your nameשִׁמְךָ֣šim·ḵā — Name; reputation; renownH8034 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, revive meתְּחַיֵּ֑נִיtə·ḥay·yê·nî — To live, to preserve alive, to give lifeH2421 — Full Word Study →. In Your righteousnessבְּצִדְקָתְךָ֓׀bə·ṣiḏ·qā·ṯə·ḵā — Righteousness, justice, right conductH6666 — Full Word Study →, bringתוֹצִ֖יאṯō·w·ṣî — To go out, come forth, exitH3318 — Full Word Study → my soulנַפְשִֽׁי׃nap̄·šî — soul, life, person, selfH5315 — Full Word Study → out of troubleמִצָּרָ֣הmiṣ·ṣā·rāh — Distress, trouble, adversityH6869 — Full Word Study →. 12And in Your loving devotionוּֽבְחַסְדְּךָ֮ū·ḇə·ḥas·də·ḵā — Covenant loyalty and steadfast kindnessH2617 — Full Word Study →, cut offתַּצְמִ֪יתtaṣ·mîṯ — To cut off, destroy utterly, consume completelyH6789 — Full Word Study → my enemiesאֹ֫יְבָ֥י’ō·yə·ḇāy — Enemy; adversary; one who opposesH341 — Full Word Study →. Destroyוְֽ֭הַאֲבַדְתָּwə·ha·’ă·ḇaḏ·tā — To perish, be destroyed, or lostH6 — Full Word Study → allכָּל־kāl- — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → who afflictצֹרֲרֵ֣יṣō·ră·rê — to bind, squeeze, or oppress; to distress or afflictH6887 — Full Word Study → meנַפְשִׁ֑יnap̄·šî — soul, life, person, selfH5315 — Full Word Study →, forכִּ֝֗יkî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → Iאֲנִ֣י’ă·nî — I, me, myself (first person singular pronoun)H589 — Full Word Study → am Your servantעַבְדֶּֽךָ׃‘aḇ·de·ḵā — Servant; slave; one in bondage or serviceH5650 — Full Word Study →.
Scripture Explorer
Original Language
Notes & Doctrine
Chapter Commentary
Cross-Refs
Highlight
My Note
Original Hebrew / Greek
Loading…
Translation Notes & Doctrine — This Verse
Loading…
Chapter Commentary — Psalms 143
Chapter Overview

Chapter Overview

Psalm 143 is a deeply personal lament and prayer of David, composed when he faces severe persecution and spiritual distress. The psalmist opens by appealing to God's faithfulness and righteousness, then confesses his desperate condition—overwhelmed by enemies, spiritually exhausted, and dwelling in darkness. Yet rather than despair, David pivots toward hope by remembering God's past works, seeking His presence, and asking for guidance and deliverance. This psalm beautifully illustrates the pattern of honest lament followed by confident trust, teaching us that acknowledging our weakness is the gateway to experiencing God's strength.

Verses 1–4: The Cry of a Desperate Heart

David begins with a direct plea: "Hear my prayer, O LORD" (v. 1). He does not appeal to his own merit but to God's faithfulness and righteousness—the unchanging character of the Lord. Then, in verse 2, he makes a remarkable confession: "Enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." This is not the language of despair but of theological clarity. David understands that justification comes not through works but through God's mercy. He is not demanding God's judgment; he is asking God to respond with grace instead.

Verses 3–4 paint a vivid picture of his suffering. The enemy has persecuted his soul, smitten his life down to the ground, and forced him to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. His spirit is overwhelmed and his heart is desolate. These are not mere emotions—they reflect the reality of living under intense pressure and threat. Yet even in this darkness, David does not lose faith in God's existence or goodness.

Verses 5–8: From Despair to Hope Through Remembrance

A turning point comes in verse 5. Rather than remaining trapped in present suffering, David deliberately remembers the days of old and meditates on all thy works. This is a spiritual discipline—choosing to recall how God has acted faithfully in the past. In verse 6, his longing becomes tangible: "I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land." The image of a thirsty, parched land yearning for rain beautifully captures spiritual desperation transformed into spiritual hunger for God Himself.

Verses 7–8 continue the appeal with renewed urgency. David asks God not to hide thy face from him—a prayer for restored intimacy and assurance. He requests that God cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning, suggesting he longs for God's mercy to be his first experience each new day. He also asks God to cause me to know the way wherein I should walk (v. 8), showing that his deepest need is not merely relief from trouble but divine guidance for faithful living.

Verses 9–12: Trust, Obedience, and Final Appeal

The final section combines petition with affirmation of trust. David asks God to deliver me from mine enemies (v. 9) while declaring "I flee unto thee to hide me." In verse 10, he requests teaching: "Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God." His focus has shifted from external enemies to internal obedience. He seeks not just safety but sanctification.

Verses 11–12 conclude with a final plea for deliverance grounded in God's character and covenant: "Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake," asking for restoration of spiritual life for God's honor, not his own comfort. He ends by identifying himself as God's servant, affirming his place in covenant relationship even amid suffering.

Application for Today

Psalm 143 teaches us that honest prayer embraces both lament and hope. When facing overwhelming circumstances, we need not pretend strength; instead, we can bring our despair directly to God while anchoring ourselves in His faithfulness. Like David, we gain spiritual strength by remembering God's past mercies and deliberately fixing our hearts on His character. Most importantly, we learn that deliverance ultimately means conformity to God's will, not merely escape from pain.

Cross References
Loading…
Highlight This Verse
My Note