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Psalm 143
New King James Version

### An Earnest Appeal for Guidance and Deliverance

#### A Psalm of David.

143 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
Give ear to my supplications!
In Your faithfulness answer me,
And in Your righteousness.
2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
(A)For in Your sight no one living is righteous.

3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in [a]darkness,
Like those who have long been dead.
4 (B)Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.

5 (C)I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your works;
I [b]muse on the work of Your hands.
6 I spread out my hands to You;
(D)My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah

7 Answer me speedily, O Lord;
My spirit fails!
Do not hide Your face from me,
(E)Lest I [c]be like those who [d]go down into the pit.
8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness (F)in the morning,
For in You do I trust;
(G)Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For (H)I lift up my soul to You.

9 Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
[e]In You I take shelter.
10 (I)Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
(J)Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in (K)the land of uprightness.

11 (L)Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!
For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 In Your mercy (M)cut[f] off my enemies,
And destroy all those who afflict my soul;
For I am Your servant.

#### Footnotes

1. Psalm 143:3 dark places
2. Psalm 143:5 ponder
3. Psalm 143:7 become
4. Psalm 143:7 Die
5. Psalm 143:9 LXX, Vg. To You I flee
6. Psalm 143:12 put an end to

#### Cross references

1. Psalm 143:2 : [Ex. 34:7]; Job 4:17; 9:2; 25:4; Ps. 130:3; Eccl. 7:20; [Rom. 3:20–23; Gal. 2:16]
2. Psalm 143:4 : Ps. 77:3
3. Psalm 143:5 : Ps. 77:5, 10, 11
4. Psalm 143:6 : Ps. 63:1
5. Psalm 143:7 : Ps. 28:1
6. Psalm 143:8 : Ps. 46:5
7. Psalm 143:8 : Ps. 5:8
8. Psalm 143:8 : Ps. 25:1
9. Psalm 143:10 : Ps. 25:4, 5
10. Psalm 143:10 : Neh. 9:20
11. Psalm 143:10 : Is. 26:10
12. Psalm 143:11 : Ps. 119:25
13. Psalm 143:12 : Ps. 54:5

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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