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Psalm 141-144
American Standard Version
Psalm 141-144
American Standard Version
An evening prayer for sanctification and protection.
A Psalm of David.
141 Jehovah, I have called upon thee; make haste unto me:
Give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee.
2 Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee;
The lifting up of my hands as the evening [a]sacrifice.
3 Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth;
Keep the door of my lips.
4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing,
To practise deeds of wickedness
With men that work iniquity:
And let me not eat of their dainties.
5 Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness;
And let him reprove me, it shall be as oil upon the head;
Let not my head refuse it:
For [b]even in their [c]wickedness shall my prayer continue.
6 Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock;
And they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
7 As when one ploweth and cleaveth the earth,
Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
8 For mine eyes are unto thee, O Jehovah the Lord:
In thee do I take refuge; [d]leave not my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me,
And from the gins of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
Whilst that I withal [e]escape.
Prayer for help in trouble.
Maschil of David, when he was in the cave; a Prayer.
142 I cry with my voice unto Jehovah;
With my voice unto Jehovah do I make supplication.
2 I pour out my complaint before him;
I show before him my trouble.
3 When my spirit [f]was overwhelmed within me,
Thou knewest my path.
In the way wherein I walk
Have they hidden a snare for me.
4 Look on my right hand, and see;
For there is no man that knoweth me:
Refuge hath failed me;
No man careth for my soul.
5 I cried unto thee, O Jehovah;
I said, Thou art my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
6 Attend unto my cry;
For I am brought very low:
Deliver me from my persecutors;
For they are stronger than I.
7 Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may give thanks unto thy name:
The righteous shall [g]compass me about;
For thou wilt deal bountifully with me.
Prayer for deliverance and guidance.
A Psalm of David.
143 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah; give ear to my supplications:
In thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant;
For in thy sight no man living is righteous.
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul;
He hath smitten my life down to the ground:
He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
4 Therefore [h]is my spirit overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is desolate.
5 I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all thy doings;
I muse on the work of thy hands.
6 I spread forth my hands unto thee:
My soul thirsteth after thee, as a weary land. Selah
7 Make haste to answer me, O Jehovah; my spirit faileth:
Hide not thy face from me,
Lest I become like them that go down into the pit.
8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning;
For in thee do I trust:
Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk;
For I lift up my soul unto thee.
9 Deliver me, O Jehovah, from mine enemies:
[i]I flee unto thee to hide me.
10 Teach me to do thy will;
For thou art my God:
[j]Thy Spirit is good;
Lead me in [k]the land of uprightness.
11 Quicken me, O Jehovah, for thy name’s sake:
In thy righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And in thy lovingkindness cut off mine enemies,
And destroy all them that afflict my soul;
For I am thy servant.
Prayer for rescue. A happy people described.
A Psalm of David.
144 Blessed be Jehovah my rock,
Who teacheth my hands to war,
And my fingers to fight:
2 My lovingkindness, and my fortress,
My high tower, and my deliverer;
My shield, and he in whom I take refuge;
Who subdueth my people under me.
3 Jehovah, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that thou makest account of him?
4 Man is like to [l]vanity:
His days are as a shadow that passeth away.
5 Bow thy heavens, O Jehovah, and come down:
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6 Cast forth lightning, and scatter them;
Send out thine arrows, and discomfit them.
7 Stretch forth thy hand from above;
Rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters,
Out of the hand of aliens;
8 Whose mouth speaketh deceit,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God:
Upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
10 Thou art he that giveth salvation unto kings;
Who rescueth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
11 Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hand of aliens,
Whose mouth speaketh deceit,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
12 When our sons shall be as plants grown up in their youth,
And our daughters as corner-stones hewn after the fashion of a palace;
13 When our garners are full, affording all manner of store,
And our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
14 When our oxen are well laden;
When there is no breaking in, and no [m]going forth,
And no outcry in our streets:
15 Happy is the people that is in such a case;
Yea, happy is the people whose God is Jehovah.
Footnotes
- Psalm 141:2 Or, oblation
- Psalm 141:5 Or, still is my prayer against their wickedness
- Psalm 141:5 Or, calamities
- Psalm 141:8 Or, pour thou not out my life
- Psalm 141:10 Hebrew pass over.
- Psalm 142:3 Or, fainted
- Psalm 142:7 Or, crown themselves because of me
- Psalm 143:4 Or, my spirit fainteth
- Psalm 143:9 Hebrew Unto thee have I hidden.
- Psalm 143:10 Or, Let thy good Spirit lead me
- Psalm 143:10 Or, a plain country
- Psalm 144:4 Hebrew a breath.
- Psalm 144:14 Or, sallying
Psalm 141-144
New International Version
Psalm 141-144
New International Version
Psalm 141
A psalm of David.
1 I call to you, Lord, come quickly(A) to me;
hear me(B) when I call to you.
2 May my prayer be set before you like incense;(C)
may the lifting up of my hands(D) be like the evening sacrifice.(E)
3 Set a guard over my mouth,(F) Lord;
keep watch over the door of my lips.(G)
4 Do not let my heart(H) be drawn to what is evil
so that I take part in wicked deeds(I)
along with those who are evildoers;
do not let me eat their delicacies.(J)
5 Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
let him rebuke me(K)—that is oil on my head.(L)
My head will not refuse it,
for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.
6 Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,(M)
and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
7 They will say, “As one plows(N) and breaks up the earth,(O)
so our bones have been scattered at the mouth(P) of the grave.”
8 But my eyes are fixed(Q) on you, Sovereign Lord;
in you I take refuge(R)—do not give me over to death.
9 Keep me safe(S) from the traps set by evildoers,(T)
from the snares(U) they have laid for me.
10 Let the wicked fall(V) into their own nets,
while I pass by in safety.(W)
Psalm 142[a]
A maskil[b] of David. When he was in the cave.(X) A prayer.
1 I cry aloud(Y) to the Lord;
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.(Z)
2 I pour out before him my complaint;(AA)
before him I tell my trouble.(AB)
3 When my spirit grows faint(AC) within me,
it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
people have hidden a snare for me.
4 Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;(AD)
no one cares(AE) for my life.
6 Listen to my cry,(AI)
for I am in desperate need;(AJ)
rescue me(AK) from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong(AL) for me.
7 Set me free from my prison,(AM)
that I may praise your name.(AN)
Then the righteous will gather about me
because of your goodness to me.(AO)
Psalm 143
A psalm of David.
1 Lord, hear my prayer,(AP)
listen to my cry for mercy;(AQ)
in your faithfulness(AR) and righteousness(AS)
come to my relief.
2 Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous(AT) before you.
3 The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(AU)
like those long dead.(AV)
4 So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.(AW)
5 I remember(AX) the days of long ago;
I meditate(AY) on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
6 I spread out my hands(AZ) to you;
I thirst for you like a parched land.[c]
7 Answer me quickly,(BA) Lord;
my spirit fails.(BB)
Do not hide your face(BC) from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,(BD)
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(BE) I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.(BF)
9 Rescue me(BG) from my enemies,(BH) Lord,
for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(BI) to do your will,
for you are my God;(BJ)
may your good Spirit
lead(BK) me on level ground.(BL)
11 For your name’s sake,(BM) Lord, preserve my life;(BN)
in your righteousness,(BO) bring me out of trouble.
12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;(BP)
destroy all my foes,(BQ)
for I am your servant.(BR)
Psalm 144
Of David.
1 Praise be to the Lord my Rock,(BS)
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.
2 He is my loving God and my fortress,(BT)
my stronghold(BU) and my deliverer,
my shield,(BV) in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples[d](BW) under me.
3 Lord, what are human beings(BX) that you care for them,
mere mortals that you think of them?
4 They are like a breath;(BY)
their days are like a fleeting shadow.(BZ)
5 Part your heavens,(CA) Lord, and come down;(CB)
touch the mountains, so that they smoke.(CC)
6 Send forth lightning(CD) and scatter(CE) the enemy;
shoot your arrows(CF) and rout them.
7 Reach down your hand from on high;(CG)
deliver me and rescue me(CH)
from the mighty waters,(CI)
from the hands of foreigners(CJ)
8 whose mouths are full of lies,(CK)
whose right hands(CL) are deceitful.(CM)
9 I will sing a new song(CN) to you, my God;
on the ten-stringed lyre(CO) I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings,(CP)
who delivers his servant David.(CQ)
From the deadly sword(CR) 11 deliver me;
rescue me(CS) from the hands of foreigners(CT)
whose mouths are full of lies,(CU)
whose right hands are deceitful.(CV)
12 Then our sons in their youth
will be like well-nurtured plants,(CW)
and our daughters will be like pillars(CX)
carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns will be filled(CY)
with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
by tens of thousands in our fields;
14 our oxen(CZ) will draw heavy loads.[e]
There will be no breaching of walls,(DA)
no going into captivity,
no cry of distress in our streets.(DB)
15 Blessed is the people(DC) of whom this is true;
blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.
Footnotes
- Psalm 142:1 In Hebrew texts 142:1-7 is numbered 142:2-8.
- Psalm 142:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 143:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 144:2 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, Jerome and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text subdues my people
- Psalm 144:14 Or our chieftains will be firmly established
American Standard Version (ASV)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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