Psalm 143

Psalm 143 is the 143rd psalm of the biblical Book of Psalms in the Masoretic and modern numbering, part of the final Davidic collection of psalms, comprising Psalms 138 to 145, which are specifically attributed to David in their opening verses.[1] It is one of the seven Penitential Psalms. The New King James Version calls it "An Earnest Appeal for Guidance and Deliverance".[2]

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
Beginning of Psalm 143 [Psalm 142 Septuagint] in the Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, ms.65, f.70v.
BookBook of Psalms
Hebrew Bible partKetuvim
Order in the Hebrew part1
CategorySifrei Emet
Christian Bible partOld Testament
Order in the Christian part19

In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and in the Latin Vulgate/Vulgata Clementina, this psalm is Psalm 142.

The psalm has two equal sections, verses 1-6 and 7-12, separated by a Selah.[3]

Theme

One of the Penitential Psalms, it is a prayer to be delivered from the psalmist's enemies.[4] 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.[5]

Text

Hebrew Bible version

The following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 143:[6]

Verse Hebrew
1 :מִזְמוֹר, לְדָוִד

יְהוָה, שְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי-- הַאֲזִינָה אֶל-תַּחֲנוּנַי; .בֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ עֲנֵנִי, בְּצִדְקָתֶךָ

2 :וְאַל-תָּבוֹא בְמִשְׁפָּט, אֶת-עַבְדֶּךָ

.כִּי לֹא-יִצְדַּק לְפָנֶיךָ כָל-חָי

3 ;כִּי רָדַף אוֹיֵב, נַפְשִׁי-- דִּכָּא לָאָרֶץ, חַיָּתִי

.הוֹשִׁבַנִי בְמַחֲשַׁכִּים, כְּמֵתֵי עוֹלָם

4 .וַתִּתְעַטֵּף עָלַי רוּחִי; בְּתוֹכִי, יִשְׁתּוֹמֵם לִבִּי
5 ;זָכַרְתִּי יָמִים, מִקֶּדֶם-- הָגִיתִי בְכָל-פָּעֳלֶךָ

.בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ אֲשׂוֹחֵ

6 .פֵּרַשְׂתִּי יָדַי אֵלֶיךָ; נַפְשִׁי, כְּאֶרֶץ-עֲיֵפָה לְךָ סֶלָה
7 :מַהֵר עֲנֵנִי, יְהוָה-- כָּלְתָה רוּחִי

.אַל-תַּסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי; וְנִמְשַׁלְתִּי, עִם-יֹרְדֵי בוֹר

8 :הַשְׁמִיעֵנִי בַבֹּקֶר, חַסְדֶּךָ-- כִּי-בְךָ בָטָחְתִּי

.הוֹדִיעֵנִי, דֶּרֶךְ-זוּ אֵלֵךְ-- כִּי-אֵלֶיךָ, נָשָׂאתִי נַפְשִׁי

9 .הַצִּילֵנִי מֵאֹיְבַי יְהוָה-- אֵלֶיךָ כִסִּתִי
10 :לַמְּדֵנִי, לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנֶךָ-- כִּי-אַתָּה אֱלוֹהָי

.רוּחֲךָ טוֹבָה; תַּנְחֵנִי, בְּאֶרֶץ מִישׁוֹר

11 .לְמַעַן-שִׁמְךָ יְהוָה תְּחַיֵּנִי; בְּצִדְקָתְךָ, תּוֹצִיא מִצָּרָה נַפְשִׁי
12 .וּבְחַסְדְּךָ, תַּצְמִית אֹיְבָי: וְהַאֲבַדְתָּ, כָּל-צֹרְרֵי נַפְשִׁי--כִּי, אֲנִי עַבְדֶּךָ

Verse 11
Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!
For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.[7]

Father Stavros Akrotirianakis points out that in most English translations, verse 11 reads "in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble",[8] 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."[9] Alexander Kirkpatrick notes that the verbs "revive" and "bring" should be read as future statements based on confidence in God, rather than as imperatives.[3]

Uses

Jewish

Verse 2 is found in the repetition of the Amidah during Rosh Hashanah.[10]

New Testament

Verse 2b is quoted in Romans 3:20.[11]

Catholic Church

In the Benedictine tradition, Benedict of Nursia selected Psalm 142 (143) to be sung on Saturdays at the Office for Lauds (Chapter XIII) after Psalm 51.[12] A number of monasteries still preserve this tradition.[13]

Psalm 143 is recited on the fourth Thursday of the four weekly cycle of liturgical prayers at Lauds (Morning Prayer) in the Liturgy of the Hours, and every Tuesday night at compline (Night Prayer).

The Vulgate translation:

1 Psalmus David. Adversus Goliath.

Benedictus Dominus Deus meus, qui docet manus meas ad praelium, et digitos meos ad bellum.

2 Misericordia mea et refugium meum; susceptor meus et liberator meus; protector meus, et in ipso speravi, qui subdit populum meum sub me.

3 Domine, quid est homo, quia innotuisti ei? aut filius hominis, quia reputas eum?

4 Homo vanitati similis factus est; dies ejus sicut umbra praetereunt.

5 Domine, inclina caelos tuos, et descende; tange montes, et fumigabunt.

6 Fulgura coruscationem et dissipabis eos; emitte sagittas tuas, et conturbabis eos.

7 Emitte manum tuam de alto: eripe me, et libera me de aquis multis, de manu filiorum alienorum:

8 quorum os locutum est vanitatem, et dextera eorum dextera iniquitatis.

9 Deus, canticum novum cantabo tibi; in psalterio decacordo psallam tibi.

10 Qui das salutem regibus, qui redemisti David servum tuum de gladio maligno,

11 eripe me, et erue me de manu filiorum alienorum, quorum os locutum est vanitatem, et dextera eorum dextera iniquitatis.

12 Quorum filii sicut novellae plantationes in iuventute sua; filiae eorum compositae, circumornatae ut similitudo templi.

13 Promptuaria eorum plena, eructantia ex hoc in illud; oves eorum foetosae, abundantes in egressibus suis;

14 Boves eorum crassae, non est ruina maceriae, neque transitus, neque clamor in plateis eorum.

15 Beatum dixerunt populum cui haec sunt; beatus populus cujus Dominus Deus ejus.

Orthodox Church

This psalm is read at every Orthros, Paraklesis, Salutations to the Virgin Mary, and Holy Unction service.[9]

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the evening of the twenty-ninth day of the month,[14] as well as at Evensong on Ash Wednesday.[15]

Musical Settings

Alan Hovhaness set verses 1 and 5 in his 1936 work Hear my prayer, O Lord.[16]

References
  1. Lama, A. K. (2013). Reading Psalm 145 with the Sages: A Compositional Analysis. Langham Monographs. p. 3. ISBN 9781907713354.
  2. Psalm 143: NKJV
  3. Kirkpatrick, A.,Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Psalm 143, accessed 2 July 2022
  4. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Psalm 143, note in the New American Bible, accessed 2 July 2022
  5. 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.
  6. "Psalms Chapter 143 תְּהִלִּים". mechon-mamre.org. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  7. Psalm 143:11: NKJV
  8. The New International Version at Psalm 143:11 is an example
  9. Akrotirianakis, Stavros, Psalm 143, Orthodox Christian Network, published 2 March 2021, accessed 2 July 2022
  10. The Complete Artscroll Machzor for Rosh Hashanah, p. 367
  11. 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.
  12. Traduction par Prosper Guéranger, p. 41, Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Solesmes, réimpression 2007
  13. Psautier latin-français du bréviaire monastique
  14. Church of England, Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter as printed by John Baskerville in 1762, pp. 304-305
  15. "The Book of Common Prayer: Proper Psalms On Certain Days" (PDF). The Church of England. p. 6. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  16. "Alan Hovhaness List of Works by Opus Number". www.hovhaness.com. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
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