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Psalm 143-145
Common English Bible
Psalm 143-145
Common English Bible
Psalm 143
A psalm of David.
143 Listen to my prayer, Lord!
Because of your faithfulness, hear my requests for mercy!
Because of your righteousness, answer me!
2 Please don’t bring your servant to judgment,
because no living thing is righteous before you.
3 The enemy is chasing me,[a]
crushing my life in the dirt,
forcing me to live in the dark
like those who’ve been dead forever.
4 My spirit is weak inside me—
inside, my mind is numb.
5 I remember the days long past;
I meditate on all your deeds;
I contemplate your handiwork.
6 I stretch out my hands to you;
my whole being is like dry dirt, thirsting for you.[b] Selah
7 Answer me, Lord—and quickly! My breath is fading.
Don’t hide your face from me
or I’ll be like those going down to the pit!
8 Tell me all about your faithful love come morning time,
because I trust you.
Show me the way I should go,
because I offer my life up to you.
9 Deliver me from my enemies, Lord!
I seek protection from you.[c]
10 Teach me to do what pleases you,
because you are my God.
Guide me by your good spirit
into good land.
11 Make me live again, Lord, for your name’s sake.
Bring me out of distress because of your righteousness.
12 Wipe out my enemies because of your faithful love.
Destroy everyone who attacks me,
because I am your servant.
Psalm 144
Of David.
144 Bless the Lord, my rock,
who taught my hands how to fight,
who taught my fingers how to do battle!
2 God is my loyal one, my fortress,
my place of safety, my rescuer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
and the one who subdues people before me.
3 What are human beings, Lord, that you know them at all?
What are human beings that you even consider them?
4 Humans are like a puff of air;
their days go by like a shadow.
5 Lord, part your skies and come down!
Touch the mountains so they smoke!
6 Flash lightning and scatter the enemy!
Shoot your arrows and defeat them!
7 Stretch out your hand from above!
Rescue me and deliver me from deep water,
from the power of strangers, whose mouths speak lies,
8 and whose strong hand is a strong hand of deception!
9 I will sing a new song to you, God.
I will sing praises to you on a ten-stringed harp,
10 to you—the one who gives saving help to rulers,
and who rescues his servant David from the evil sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me from the power of strangers,
whose mouths speak lies,
and whose strong hand is a strong hand of deception,
12 so that[d] our sons can grow up fully, in their youth, like plants;
so that our daughters can be like pillars carved to decorate a palace;
13 so that our barns can be full, providing all kinds of food;
so that our flocks can be in the thousands—
even tens of thousands—in our fields;
14 so that our cattle can be loaded with calves;
so that there won’t be any breach in the walls,
no exile, no outcries in our streets!
15 The people who have it like this are truly happy!
The people whose God is the Lord are truly happy!
Psalm 145[e]
Praise. Of David.
145 I will lift you up high, my God, the true king.
I will bless your name forever and always.
2 I will bless you every day.
I will praise your name forever and always.
3 The Lord is great and so worthy of praise!
God’s greatness can’t be grasped.
4 One generation will praise your works to the next one,
proclaiming your mighty acts.
5 They will talk all about[f] the glorious splendor of your majesty;
I will contemplate your wondrous works.
6 They will speak of the power of your awesome deeds;
I will declare your great accomplishments.
7 They will rave in celebration of your abundant goodness;
they will shout joyfully about your righteousness:
8 “The Lord is merciful and compassionate,
very patient, and full of faithful love.
9 The Lord is good to everyone and everything;
God’s compassion extends to all his handiwork!”
10 All that you have made gives thanks to you, Lord;
all your faithful ones bless you!
11 They speak of the glory of your kingdom;
they talk all about your power,
12 to inform all human beings about God’s power
and the majestic glory of God’s kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is a kingship that lasts forever;
your rule endures for all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all that he says,
faithful in all that he does.[g]
14 The Lord supports all who fall down,
straightens up all who are bent low.
15 All eyes look to you, hoping,
and you give them their food right on time,
16 opening your hand
and satisfying the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways,
faithful in all his deeds.
18 The Lord is close to everyone who calls out to him,
to all who call out to him sincerely.
19 God shows favor to those who honor him,
listening to their cries for help and saving them.
20 The Lord protects all who love him,
but he destroys every wicked person.
21 My mouth will proclaim the Lord’s praise,
and every living thing will bless God’s holy name
forever and always.
Footnotes
- Psalm 143:3 Or my soul; also in 143:6, 8, 11-12
- Psalm 143:6 Heb lacks thirsting.
- Psalm 143:9 Heb uncertain; MT to you I have hidden
- Psalm 144:12 Heb uncertain
- Psalm 145:1 Ps 145 is an alphabetic acrostic poem; see the note at Pss 9–10.
- Psalm 145:5 LXX, Syr, DSS (11QPsa); MT and words of
- Psalm 145:13 LXX, DSS (11QPsa), Syr; MT lacks these lines, but they correspond to the nun line in the alphabetic acrostic poem.
Psalm 143-145
New International Version
Psalm 143-145
New International Version
Psalm 143
A psalm of David.
1 Lord, hear my prayer,(A)
listen to my cry for mercy;(B)
in your faithfulness(C) and righteousness(D)
come to my relief.
2 Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous(E) before you.
3 The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(F)
like those long dead.(G)
4 So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.(H)
5 I remember(I) the days of long ago;
I meditate(J) on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
6 I spread out my hands(K) to you;
I thirst for you like a parched land.[a]
7 Answer me quickly,(L) Lord;
my spirit fails.(M)
Do not hide your face(N) 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,(O)
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(P) I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.(Q)
9 Rescue me(R) from my enemies,(S) Lord,
for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(T) to do your will,
for you are my God;(U)
may your good Spirit
lead(V) me on level ground.(W)
11 For your name’s sake,(X) Lord, preserve my life;(Y)
in your righteousness,(Z) bring me out of trouble.
12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;(AA)
destroy all my foes,(AB)
for I am your servant.(AC)
Psalm 144
Of David.
1 Praise be to the Lord my Rock,(AD)
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.
2 He is my loving God and my fortress,(AE)
my stronghold(AF) and my deliverer,
my shield,(AG) in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples[b](AH) under me.
3 Lord, what are human beings(AI) that you care for them,
mere mortals that you think of them?
4 They are like a breath;(AJ)
their days are like a fleeting shadow.(AK)
5 Part your heavens,(AL) Lord, and come down;(AM)
touch the mountains, so that they smoke.(AN)
6 Send forth lightning(AO) and scatter(AP) the enemy;
shoot your arrows(AQ) and rout them.
7 Reach down your hand from on high;(AR)
deliver me and rescue me(AS)
from the mighty waters,(AT)
from the hands of foreigners(AU)
8 whose mouths are full of lies,(AV)
whose right hands(AW) are deceitful.(AX)
9 I will sing a new song(AY) to you, my God;
on the ten-stringed lyre(AZ) I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings,(BA)
who delivers his servant David.(BB)
From the deadly sword(BC) 11 deliver me;
rescue me(BD) from the hands of foreigners(BE)
whose mouths are full of lies,(BF)
whose right hands are deceitful.(BG)
12 Then our sons in their youth
will be like well-nurtured plants,(BH)
and our daughters will be like pillars(BI)
carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns will be filled(BJ)
with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
by tens of thousands in our fields;
14 our oxen(BK) will draw heavy loads.[c]
There will be no breaching of walls,(BL)
no going into captivity,
no cry of distress in our streets.(BM)
15 Blessed is the people(BN) of whom this is true;
blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.
Psalm 145[d]
A psalm of praise. Of David.
1 I will exalt you,(BO) my God the King;(BP)
I will praise your name(BQ) for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise(BR) you
and extol your name(BS) for ever and ever.
3 Great(BT) is the Lord and most worthy of praise;(BU)
his greatness no one can fathom.(BV)
4 One generation(BW) commends your works to another;
they tell(BX) of your mighty acts.(BY)
5 They speak of the glorious splendor(BZ) of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[e](CA)
6 They tell(CB) of the power of your awesome works—(CC)
and I will proclaim(CD) your great deeds.(CE)
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness(CF)
and joyfully sing(CG) of your righteousness.(CH)
9 The Lord is good(CK) to all;
he has compassion(CL) on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you,(CM) Lord;
your faithful people extol(CN) you.(CO)
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom(CP)
and speak of your might,(CQ)
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts(CR)
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.(CS)
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,(CT)
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy(CU) in all he promises(CV)
and faithful in all he does.[f]
14 The Lord upholds(CW) all who fall
and lifts up all(CX) who are bowed down.(CY)
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food(CZ) at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires(DA) of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous(DB) in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.(DC)
18 The Lord is near(DD) to all who call on him,(DE)
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires(DF) of those who fear him;(DG)
he hears their cry(DH) and saves them.(DI)
20 The Lord watches over(DJ) all who love him,(DK)
but all the wicked he will destroy.(DL)
Footnotes
- 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
- Psalm 145:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which (including verse 13b) begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Psalm 145:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text On the glorious splendor of your majesty / and on your wonderful works I will meditate
- Psalm 145:13 One manuscript of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text do not have the last two lines of verse 13.
Psalm 143-145
King James Version
Psalm 143-145
King James Version
143 Hear my prayer, O Lord, 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 shall no man living be justified.
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
7 Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto 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 Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
11 Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.
144 Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
3 Lord, 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 vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.
5 Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6 Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.
7 Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;
8 Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
10 It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:
12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:
13 That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:
14 That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.
15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.
145 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
5 I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.
6 And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.
7 They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
9 The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
10 All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.
11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;
12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.
13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
14 The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.
16 Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
20 The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.