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Psalms 143

Psalms 143

The big picture

Psalms 143 opens in verse 1 with “Hear my prayer, O LORD , give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 6 with “I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land…”, and closes in verse 12 with “And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I…” Repeated or prominent terms include soul, LORD, Hear, spirit, cause. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

Psalms · King James Version · 12

Psalms 143:1-6

1–6: Hear my prayer, O LORD , give ear to my supplications: in thy…

Psalms 143:1–6 opens with “Hear my prayer, O LORD , give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy…” and reaches “I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by hands, soul, within.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “Hear my prayer, O LORD , give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in…” By verse 3, the text has turned to “For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath…” It lands on “I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. Its subjects, actions, connecting terms, and consequences reveal how the thought develops before any interpretation is added.

Speaker, parallel lines, images, emotional movement, and changes in voice carry the argument. Wise guidance is richer than a mechanical promise. Words such as hands, soul, within, answer, darkness, days tie the complete block together. The central idea, “the wording and movement of this passage,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Hear, Selah. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 4: “Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: hands, soul, within, answer, darkness, days

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Psalms 143:1

    “Hear my prayer, O LORD , give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.” Naming Hear keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  2. Psalms 143:2

    “And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  3. Psalms 143:3

    “For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

  4. Psalms 143:4

    “Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

  5. Psalms 143:5

    “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.” The line’s distinctive content terms include days, hands, meditate. Its relationship to verses 4 and 6 shows what work it does in this passage.

  6. Psalms 143:6

    “I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.” Naming Selah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Psalms 143:1-6

King James Version

1Hear my prayer, O LORD , give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.

2And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

3For 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.

4Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

5I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.

6I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

Psalms 143:7-12

7–12: Hear me speedily, O LORD : my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me…

Psalms 143:7–12 opens with “Hear me speedily, O LORD : my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto…” and reaches “And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by LORD, soul, cause.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “Hear me speedily, O LORD : my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto…” By verse 9, the text has turned to “Deliver me, O LORD , from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.” It lands on “And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 1 verse naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

Speaker, parallel lines, images, emotional movement, and changes in voice carry the argument. Wise guidance is richer than a mechanical promise. Words such as LORD, soul, cause, enemies, hear, hide tie the complete block together. The central idea, “the wording and movement of this passage,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Cause, Deliver, God, Hear, Quicken, Teach. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 9: “Deliver me, O LORD , from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: LORD, soul, cause, enemies, hear, hide

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Psalms 143:7

    “Hear me speedily, O LORD : my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into…” Naming Hear keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  2. Psalms 143:8

    “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should…” Naming Cause keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  3. Psalms 143:9

    “Deliver me, O LORD , from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.” Naming Deliver keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  4. Psalms 143:10

    “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.” Naming Teach keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  5. Psalms 143:11

    “Quicken me, O LORD , for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.” Naming Quicken keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  6. Psalms 143:12

    “And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.” The line’s distinctive content terms include afflict, destroy, enemies. Its relationship to verses 11 shows what work it does in this passage.

Psalms 143:7-12

King James Version

7Hear 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.

8Cause 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.

9Deliver me, O LORD , from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.

10Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

11Quicken me, O LORD , for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

12And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.

Questions to keep in mind while reading

  1. Follow the speaker, images, parallel lines, questions, and emotional movement.
  2. Notice where tension or suffering resists an easy answer.
  3. Read a saying as wisdom for faithful discernment, not as a mechanical promise detached from context.

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.

Questions beneath the surface

  1. What account of God, human freedom, responsibility, and the good life emerges from Psalms 143?
  2. Which tension does the chapter refuse to resolve quickly?
  3. What changes when the chapter is read as part of the whole canon rather than as an isolated moral story?
  4. Where might a sincere reader confuse a familiar tradition with something the text states directly?

Questions for serious personal contemplation

These open-ended questions make room for tension, honest response, prayer, and conclusions that remain accountable to the chapter.

Observe without rushing

  1. What part of Psalms 143 makes you stop, feel unsettled, or feel surprised, and why?

  2. Which detail in the passage would be easiest to overlook? How does that detail change your understanding?

  3. Where do you see tension between what happens and this focus: Psalms 143:1–12 completes a passage that was not covered by the original study-unit map. Its own wording and immediate context supply the focus.?

  4. What important question does the passage leave open instead of resolving quickly?

Examine your inner life honestly

  1. Which person, response, fear, or desire in the passage feels most like your own life right now?

  2. What assumption about God, other people, or yourself does this text challenge?

  3. Which part would you rather soften, avoid, or explain away too quickly? What might that reaction reveal?

  4. If this Scripture could ask you one direct question, what do you think it would ask?

Respond with wisdom and courage

  1. What do you need to remember, confess, grieve, thank God for, or trust after reading this passage?

  2. How might another faithful person read this situation differently without ignoring the text?

  3. What obedient response would be costly, uncomfortable, or slow, yet still faithful to Scripture?

  4. What question will you carry into prayer this week, and which verses will you keep in front of you?