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Psalm 143

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This article is about Psalm 143 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 143 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 144.
Psalm 143
"Hear my prayer, O LORD"
Beginning of the psalm in Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry
Other name
  • Psalm 142 (Vulgate)
  • "Domine exaudi orationem meam"
Psalm 143
BookBook of Psalms
Hebrew Bible partKetuvim
Order in the Hebrew part1
CategorySifrei Emet
Christian Bible partOld Testament
Order in the Christian part19

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

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Hebrew

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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).

Verse Hebrew English translation (JPS 1917)
1 מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ שְׁמַ֬ע תְּפִלָּתִ֗י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה אֶל־תַּחֲנוּנַ֑י בֶּאֱמֻנָֽתְךָ֥ עֲ֝נֵ֗נִי בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃‎ A Psalm of David. O LORD, hear my prayer, give ear to my supplications; In Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy righteousness.
2 וְאַל־תָּב֣וֹא בְ֭מִשְׁפָּט אֶת־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־יִצְדַּ֖ק לְפָנֶ֣יךָ כׇל־חָֽי׃‎ And enter not into judgment with Thy servant; For in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3 כִּ֥י רָ֘דַ֤ף אוֹיֵ֨ב ׀ נַפְשִׁ֗י דִּכָּ֣א לָ֭אָרֶץ חַיָּתִ֑י הוֹשִׁבַ֥נִי בְ֝מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗ים כְּמֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃‎ 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.
4 וַתִּתְעַטֵּ֣ף עָלַ֣י רוּחִ֑י בְּ֝תוֹכִ֗י יִשְׁתּוֹמֵ֥ם לִבִּֽי׃‎ And my spirit fainteth within me; My heart within me is appalled.
5 זָ֘כַ֤רְתִּי יָמִ֨ים ׀ מִקֶּ֗דֶם הָגִ֥יתִי בְכׇל־פׇּעֳלֶ֑ךָ בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲשׂוֹחֵֽחַ׃‎ I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy doing; I muse on the work of Thy hands.
6 פֵּרַ֣שְׂתִּי יָדַ֣י אֵלֶ֑יךָ נַפְשִׁ֓י ׀ כְּאֶרֶץ־עֲיֵפָ֖ה לְךָ֣ סֶֽלָה׃‎ I spread forth my hands unto Thee; My soul [thirsteth] after Thee, as a weary land. Selah
7 מַ֘הֵ֤ר עֲנֵ֨נִי ׀ יְהֹוָה֮ כָּלְתָ֢ה ר֫וּחִ֥י אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֣ר פָּנֶ֣יךָ מִמֶּ֑נִּי וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי עִם־יֹ֥רְדֵי בֽוֹר׃‎ Answer me speedily, O LORD, My spirit faileth; Hide not Thy face from me; Lest I become like them that go down into the pit.
8 הַשְׁמִ֘יעֵ֤נִי בַבֹּ֨קֶר ׀ חַסְדֶּךָ֮ כִּֽי־בְךָ֢ בָ֫טָ֥חְתִּי הוֹדִיעֵ֗נִי דֶּֽרֶךְ־ז֥וּ אֵלֵ֑ךְ כִּי־אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ נָשָׂ֥אתִי נַפְשִֽׁי׃‎ 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.
9 הַצִּילֵ֖נִי מֵאֹיְבַ֥י ׀ יְהֹוָ֗ה אֵלֶ֥יךָ כִסִּֽתִי׃‎ Deliver me from mine enemies, O LORD; With Thee have I hidden myself.
10 לַמְּדֵ֤נִי ׀ לַ֥עֲשׂ֣וֹת רְצוֹנֶךָ֮ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֢ה אֱל֫וֹהָ֥י רוּחֲךָ֥ טוֹבָ֑ה תַּ֝נְחֵ֗נִי בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִישֽׁוֹר׃‎ Teach me to do Thy will, For Thou art my God; Let Thy good spirit Lead me in an even land.
11 לְמַעַן־שִׁמְךָ֣ יְהֹוָ֣ה תְּחַיֵּ֑נִי בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֓ ׀ תּוֹצִ֖יא מִצָּרָ֣ה נַפְשִֽׁי׃‎ For Thy name's sake, O LORD, quicken me; In Thy righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
12 וּֽבְחַסְדְּךָ֮ תַּצְמִ֢ית אֹ֫יְבָ֥י וְֽ֭הַאֲבַדְתָּ כׇּל־צֹרְרֵ֣י נַפְשִׁ֑י כִּ֝֗י אֲנִ֣י עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃‎ And in Thy mercy cut off mine enemies, And destroy all them that harass my soul; For I am Thy servant.

King James Version

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  1. 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.

Theme

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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

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"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]

Uses

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Jewish

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Verse 2 is found in the repetition of the Amidah during Rosh Hashanah.[12]

New Testament

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Verse 2b is quoted in Romans 3:20.[13]

Catholic Church

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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).

Orthodox Church

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This psalm is read at every Orthros, Paraklesis, salutations to the Virgin Mary, and Holy Unction service.[11]

Book of Common Prayer

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In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the evening of the 29th day of the month,[16] as well as at Evensong on Ash Wednesday.[17]

Musical settings

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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]

References

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  1. ^ "Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 142 (143)". medievalist.net. 2 May 2019.
  2. ^ Lama, A. K. (2013). Reading Psalm 145 with the Sages: A Compositional Analysis. Langham Monographs. p. 3. ISBN 9781907713354.
  3. ^ Psalm 143: NKJV
  4. ^ a b Kirkpatrick, A.,Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Psalm 143, accessed 2 July 2022
  5. ^ "Psalms – Chapter 143". Mechon Mamre.
  6. ^ "Psalms 143 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
  7. ^ United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Psalm 143, note in the New American Bible, accessed 2 July 2022
  8. ^ 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.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  9. ^ Psalm 143:11: NKJV
  10. ^ The New International Version at Psalm 143:11 is an example
  11. ^ a b Akrotirianakis, Stavros, Psalm 143, Orthodox Christian Network, published 2 March 2021, accessed 2 July 2022
  12. ^ The Complete Artscroll Machzor for Rosh Hashanah, p. 367[unreliable source?]
  13. ^ Kirkpatrick, A. F. (1901). The Book of Psalms: with Introduction and Notes. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Vol. Book IV and V: Psalms XC-CL. Cambridge: At the University Press. p. 840. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  14. ^ Traduction par Prosper Guéranger, p. 41, Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Solesmes, réimpression 2007
  15. ^ Psautier latin-français du bréviaire monastique
  16. ^ Church of England, Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter as printed by John Baskerville in 1762, pp. 304-305
  17. ^ "The Book of Common Prayer: Proper Psalms On Certain Days" (PDF). The Church of England. p. 6. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Alan Hovhaness List of Works by Opus Number". www.hovhaness.com. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
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