EXPERIENCING GOD’S LEADING
Key verse: 10
NIV
Psalm 143
A psalm of David.
1 Lord, hear my prayer,(A)
listen to my cry for mercy;(B)
in your faithfulness(C) and righteousness(D)
come to my relief.
2 Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous(E) before you.
3 The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(F)
like those long dead.(G)
4 So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.(H)
5 I remember(I) the days of long ago;
I meditate(J) on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
6 I spread out my hands(K) to you;
I thirst for you like a parched land.[a]
7 Answer me quickly,(L) Lord;
my spirit fails.(M)
Do not hide your face(N) from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,(O)
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(P) I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.(Q)
9 Rescue me(R) from my enemies,(S) Lord,
for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(T) to do your will,
for you are my God;(U)
may your good Spirit
lead(V) me on level ground.(W)
Footnotes
- Psalm 143:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Cross references
- Psalm 143:1 : S Ps 141:1
- Psalm 143:1 : S Ps 28:2; 130:2
- Psalm 143:1 : S Ex 34:6; Ps 89:1-2
- Psalm 143:1 : Ps 71:2
- Psalm 143:2 : S Ps 14:3; Ro 3:10
- Psalm 143:3 : S Ps 107:10
- Psalm 143:3 : La 3:6
- Psalm 143:4 : Ps 30:7
- Psalm 143:5 : Ps 77:6
- Psalm 143:5 : S Ge 24:63
- Psalm 143:6 : S Ex 9:29; S Job 11:13
- Psalm 143:7 : S Ps 69:17
- Psalm 143:7 : S Ps 142:3
- Psalm 143:7 : S Ps 22:24; 27:9; 30:7
- Psalm 143:8 : Ps 6:4; 90:14
- Psalm 143:8 : S Ex 33:13; S Job 34:32; Ps 27:11; 32:8
- Psalm 143:8 : Ps 25:1-2; S 86:4
- Psalm 143:9 : S Ps 140:1
- Psalm 143:9 : S Ps 18:17; 31:15
- Psalm 143:10 : S Ps 119:12
- Psalm 143:10 : Ps 31:14
- Psalm 143:10 : S Ne 9:20; Ps 25:4-5
- Psalm 143:10 : Ps 26:12
- Psalm 143:11 : Ps 25:11
- Psalm 143:11 : S Ps 41:2
- Psalm 143:11 : Ps 31:1; 71:2
- Psalm 143:12 : Ps 8:2
- Psalm 143:12 : Ps 54:5
- Psalm 143:12 : S Ps 116:16
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
My Soul Thirsts for You
A Psalm of David.143 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
(A)give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your (B)faithfulness answer me, in your (C)righteousness!
2 (D)Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous (E)before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;
(F)he has crushed my life to the ground;
(G)he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit (H)faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
5 (I)I remember the days of old;
(J)I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
6 (K)I stretch out my hands to you;
(L)my soul thirsts for you like (M)a parched land. Selah
7 (N)Answer me quickly, O Lord!
(O)My spirit fails!
(P)Hide not your face from me,
(Q)lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 (R)Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I (S)trust.
(T)Make me know the way I should go,
(U)for to you I lift up my soul.
9 (V)Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
I have fled to you for refuge.[a]
10 (W)Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
(X)Let your good Spirit (Y)lead me
on (Z)level ground!
11 (AA)For your name's sake, O Lord, (AB)preserve my life!
In your righteousness (AC)bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will (AD)cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your (AE)servant.
Read full chapter
Footnotes
- Psalm 143:9 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts To you I have covered
Cross references
- Psalm 143:1 : Ps. 140:6
- Psalm 143:1 : 1 John 1:9; [Ps. 31:1]
- Psalm 143:1 : 1 John 1:9; [Ps. 31:1]
- Psalm 143:2 : [Job 14:3]
- Psalm 143:2 : Ps. 130:3; 1 Kgs. 8:46; Job 9:2; 15:14; 25:4; Eccles. 7:20; Rom. 3:23; 1 Cor. 4:4
- Psalm 143:3 : See Ps. 88:3-6
- Psalm 143:3 : Lam. 3:6
- Psalm 143:4 : See Ps. 77:3
- Psalm 143:5 : Ps. 77:5, 11
- Psalm 143:5 : Ps. 77:12; 111:2
- Psalm 143:6 : See Job 11:13
- Psalm 143:6 : Ps. 42:2
- Psalm 143:6 : [Ps. 63:1]
- Psalm 143:7 : Ps. 69:17; 102:2
- Psalm 143:7 : [Ps. 84:2]
- Psalm 143:7 : Ps. 27:9
- Psalm 143:7 : Ps. 28:1; 88:4
- Psalm 143:8 : [Ps. 90:14]
- Psalm 143:8 : Ps. 11:1; 25:2
- Psalm 143:8 : Ps. 25:4
- Psalm 143:8 : Ps. 25:1
- Psalm 143:9 : Ps. 59:1; 142:6
- Psalm 143:10 : [Ps. 119:12]
- Psalm 143:10 : Neh. 9:20
- Psalm 143:10 : See Ps. 23:3
- Psalm 143:10 : Isa. 26:10; [Ps. 27:11]
- Psalm 143:11 : Ps. 23:3; 25:11
- Psalm 143:11 : See Ps. 71:20
- Psalm 143:11 : Ps. 142:7
- Psalm 143:12 : Ps. 54:5
- Psalm 143:12 : See Ps. 116:16
143 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
(A)give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your (B)faithfulness answer me, in your (C)righteousness!
2 (D)Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous (E)before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;
(F)he has crushed my life to the ground;
(G)he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit (H)faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
5 (I)I remember the days of old;
(J)I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
6 (K)I stretch out my hands to you;
(L)my soul thirsts for you like (M)a parched land. Selah
7 (N)Answer me quickly, O Lord!
(O)My spirit fails!
(P)Hide not your face from me,
(Q)lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 (R)Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I (S)trust.
(T)Make me know the way I should go,
(U)for to you I lift up my soul.
9 (V)Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
I have fled to you for refuge.[a]
10 (W)Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
(X)Let your good Spirit (Y)lead me
on (Z)level ground!
11 (AA)For your name's sake, O Lord, (AB)preserve my life!
In your righteousness (AC)bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will (AD)cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your (AE)servant.
Footnotes
- Psalm 143:9 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts To you I have covered
Cross references
- Psalm 143:1 : Ps. 140:6
- Psalm 143:1 : 1 John 1:9; [Ps. 31:1]
- Psalm 143:1 : 1 John 1:9; [Ps. 31:1]
- Psalm 143:2 : [Job 14:3]
- Psalm 143:2 : Ps. 130:3; 1 Kgs. 8:46; Job 9:2; 15:14; 25:4; Eccles. 7:20; Rom. 3:23; 1 Cor. 4:4
- Psalm 143:3 : See Ps. 88:3-6
- Psalm 143:3 : Lam. 3:6
- Psalm 143:4 : See Ps. 77:3
- Psalm 143:5 : Ps. 77:5, 11
- Psalm 143:5 : Ps. 77:12; 111:2
- Psalm 143:6 : See Job 11:13
- Psalm 143:6 : Ps. 42:2
- Psalm 143:6 : [Ps. 63:1]
- Psalm 143:7 : Ps. 69:17; 102:2
- Psalm 143:7 : [Ps. 84:2]
- Psalm 143:7 : Ps. 27:9
- Psalm 143:7 : Ps. 28:1; 88:4
- Psalm 143:8 : [Ps. 90:14]
- Psalm 143:8 : Ps. 11:1; 25:2
- Psalm 143:8 : Ps. 25:4
- Psalm 143:8 : Ps. 25:1
- Psalm 143:9 : Ps. 59:1; 142:6
- Psalm 143:10 : [Ps. 119:12]
- Psalm 143:10 : Neh. 9:20
- Psalm 143:10 : See Ps. 23:3
- Psalm 143:10 : Isa. 26:10; [Ps. 27:11]
- Psalm 143:11 : Ps. 23:3; 25:11
- Psalm 143:11 : See Ps. 71:20
- Psalm 143:11 : Ps. 142:7
- Psalm 143:12 : Ps. 54:5
- Psalm 143:12 : See Ps. 116:16
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
This Psalm is another model of how to pray for help when we are at our human limit. The author knows he himself is not perfectly righteous, so he bases his prayer on God’s mercy (2). He confesses how weak and crushed he feels (3-4). But he also strengthens his faith by remembering how God has helped him in the past (5).
We can strengthen ourselves for difficult times by seeking the word of God’s unfailing love every morning (8), until it comes into our hearts. We also submit our lives to God’s guidance and commit ourselves to be Jesus’ disciples, learning his will.
Then we can experience God’s leading on the pathway of life, and will experience true security, like we are walking on level ground (1
). We gain assurance from our identity as God’s servant (12).
Prayer: Father, thank you for your leading on my life. I want to seek your word every morning and learn to do your will as Jesus’ disciple.
One Word: Lead me on level ground
