Corpus Psalterium · Vol. VI
Psalm CXLIII (143)
Cantillated — Penitential Lament
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 143 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
A Psalm by David.
Hear my prayer, Yahweh. Listen to my petitions. In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me.
מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהוָ֤ה ׀ שְׁמַ֬ע תְּפִלָּתִ֗י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה אֶל־תַּחֲנוּנַ֑י בֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ֥ עֲ֝נֵ֗נִי בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃
Don’t enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living is righteous.
וְאַל־תָּב֣וֹא בְ֭מִשְׁפָּט אֶת־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־יִצְדַּ֖ק לְפָנֶ֣יךָ כָל־חָֽי׃
For 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.
כִּ֥י רָ֘דַ֤ף אוֹיֵ֨ב ׀ נַפְשִׁ֗י דִּכָּ֣א לָ֭אָרֶץ חַיָּתִ֑י הוֹשִׁיבַ֥נִי בְ֝מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗ים כְּמֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me. My heart within me is desolate.
וַתִּתְעַטֵּ֣ף עָלַ֣י רוּחִ֑י בְּ֝תוֹכִ֗י יִשְׁתּוֹמֵ֥ם לִבִּֽי׃
I remember the days of old. I meditate on all your doings. I contemplate the work of your hands.
זָ֘כַ֤רְתִּי יָמִ֨ים ׀ מִקֶּ֗דֶם הָגִ֥יתִי בְכָל־פָּעֳלֶ֑ךָ בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדֶ֣יךָ אֲשׂוֹחֵֽחַ׃
I spread out my hands to you. My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land. Selah.
פֵּרַ֣שְׂתִּי יָדַ֣י אֵלֶ֑יךָ נַפְשִׁ֓י ׀ כְּאֶֽרֶץ־עֲיֵפָ֖ה לְךָ֣ סֶֽלָה׃
Hurry to answer me, Yahweh. My spirit fails. Don’t hide your face from me, so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit.
מַ֘הֵ֤ר עֲנֵ֨נִי ׀ יְהוָה֮ כָּלְתָ֪ה ר֫וּחִ֥י אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֣ר פָּנֶ֣יךָ מִמֶּ֑נִּי וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי עִם־יֹ֥רְדֵי בֽוֹר׃
Cause 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.
הַשְׁמִ֘יעֵ֤נִי בַבֹּ֨קֶר ׀ חַסְדֶּךָ֮ כִּֽי־בְךָ֪ בָ֫טָ֥חְתִּי הוֹדִיעֵ֗נִי דֶּֽרֶךְ־ז֥וּ אֵלֵ֑ךְ כִּֽי־אֵ֝לֶיךָ נָשָׂ֥אתִי נַפְשִֽׁי׃
Deliver me, Yahweh, from my enemies. I flee to you to hide me.
הַצִּילֵ֖נִי מֵאֹיְבַ֥י ׀ יְהוָ֗ה אֵלֶ֥יךָ כִסִּֽתִי׃
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.
לַמְּדֵ֤נִי ׀ לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת רְצוֹנֶךָ֮ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֪ה אֱל֫וֹהָ֥י רוּחֲךָ֥ טוֹבָ֑ה תַּ֝נְחֵ֗נִי בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִישֽׁוֹר׃
Revive me, Yahweh, for your name’s sake. In your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble.
לְמַֽעַן־שִׁמְךָ֣ יְהוָ֣ה תְּחַיֵּ֑נִי בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֓ ׀ תוֹצִ֖יא מִצָּרָ֣ה נַפְשִֽׁי׃
In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul, for I am your servant.
וּֽבְחַסְדְּךָ֮ תַּצְמִ֪ית אֹ֫יְבָ֥י וְֽ֭הַאֲבַדְתָּ כָּל־צֹרֲרֵ֣י נַפְשִׁ֑י כִּ֝֗י אֲנִ֣י עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
LORD, hear what I'm asking
lean in close when I plead
You keep Your word, so answer me
You do what's right, so answer me
Don't drag Your servant into court
nobody breathing stands clean before You
The enemy ran my life down
he ground it into the dirt
he sat me down in the dark
like the ones who died long ago
My spirit is fading inside me
my heart sits stunned and still
I go back to the old days
I turn over all You've done
I talk it through, the work of Your hands
I open my hands to You
I open my hands to You
my soul is cracked like summer ground
thirsty for You
thirsty for You
Hurry, LORD, answer me
my breath is running out
Don't turn Your face away
or I'm one more going down into the pit
Wake me with Your kindness when the sun comes up
I'm leaning all my weight on You
Point me down the road I'm meant to walk
I lift my whole life up to You
when the sun comes up
Pull me out from my enemies
(I run to You to hide)
Show me how to do what pleases You
(because You are my God)
Let Your good Spirit walk me
(out onto flat ground)
For Your name, LORD, keep me alive
(bring me up out of the squeeze)
I open my hands to You
(we open our hands to You)
Wake me with Your kindness when the sun comes up
(wake us when the sun comes up)
Point me down the road I'm meant to walk
I lift my whole life up to You
Cut off the ones who hunt me
quiet all who crush my life
because I am Your servant
I am Your servant
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.