Tap any verse number for what that verse means.
1O LORD, hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness, give ear to my plea; in Your righteousness, answer me.
2Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You.
3For the enemy has pursued my soul, crushing my life to the ground, making me dwell in darkness like those long since dead.
4My spirit grows faint within me; my heart is dismayed inside me.
5I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I consider the work of Your hands.
6I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land.
7Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those who descend to the Pit.
8Let me hear Your loving devotion in the morning, for I have put my trust in You. Teach me the way I should walk, for to You I lift up my soul.
9Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD; I flee to You for refuge.
10Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
11For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me. In Your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble.
12And in Your loving devotion, cut off my enemies. Destroy all who afflict me, for I am Your servant.
Understand This
Psalm 143, explained
What Psalm 143 is saying
Psalm 143, the last of the seven Penitential Psalms, combines urgent petition for deliverance with deep awareness of personal sinfulness. David pleads for God not to enter into judgment 'for no one living is righteous before You,' then describes his crushed spirit and stretches out his hands like parched land thirsting for rain. The psalm closes with petitions for guidance, deliverance, and the destruction of enemies.
The background behind it
The superscription attributes the psalm to David, and its themes of persecution and spiritual desolation fit multiple periods of his life. Paul quotes verse 2 in Romans 3:20 and Galatians 2:16 to establish that no one is justified by works of the law, making this psalm foundational to Reformation theology.
Themes running underneath
The psalm holds together two seemingly contradictory postures: bold petition and humble confession. The psalmist urgently asks God to act 'for Your name's sake' and 'in Your righteousness,' grounding the appeal not in personal merit but in divine character. The spirit/flesh duality—crushed spirit, parched land—conveys total depletion.
Why it still matters
This psalm teaches that the proper ground for approaching God is His character, not ours. It models a prayer that is simultaneously desperate and theologically grounded, refusing to let urgency override humility.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible — used by permission, Bible Hub.