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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 143

Psalm 143 is read especially through the theme of wisdom, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

WisdomJusticeLament
Old Testament

Psalm 143

1A Psalm by David. Hear my prayer, LORD. Listen to my petitions. In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me.

2Don’t enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living is righteous.

3For the enemy pursues my soul. He has struck my life down to the ground. He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead.

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

5I remember the days of old. I meditate on all your doings. I contemplate the work of your hands.

6I spread out my hands to you. My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land. Selah.

7Hurry to answer me, LORD. My spirit fails. Don’t hide your face from me, so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit.

8Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you.

9Deliver me, LORD, from my enemies. I flee to you to hide me.

10Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.

11Revive me, LORD, for your name’s sake. In your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble.

12In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul, for I am your servant.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 143

Psalm 143 is read especially through the theme of wisdom, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book V (Psalms 107–150). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Wisdom, Justice, Lament. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 143

Psalm 143 contains 12 verses and about 235 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “A Psalm by David. Hear my prayer, LORD. Listen to my petitions. In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 12 closes: “In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul, for I am your servant.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include soul, don’t, spirit, hear, righteousness, servant. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 143

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 143:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes wisdom, with related themes of Wisdom, Justice, Lament. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

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