Psalm 142-144

Psalm 142-144 New King James Version

 

A Plea for Relief from Persecutors

A Contemplation^[a] of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave.

142 I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
² I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.

³ When my spirit ^[b]was overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly set a snare for me.
⁴ Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.

⁵ I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
^6 [c]Attend to 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 praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

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,
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 ^[d]darkness,
Like those who have long been dead.
⁴ Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.

⁵ I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your works;
I ^[e]muse on the work of Your hands.
⁶ I spread out my hands to You;
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,
Lest I ^[f]be like those who ^[g]go down into the pit.
⁸ Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,
For in You do I trust;
Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For I lift up my soul to You.

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

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

A Song to the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People

A Psalm of David.

144 Blessed be the Lord my Rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
² My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues ^[j]my people under me.

³ Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
⁴ Man is like a breath;
His days are like a passing shadow.

⁵ Bow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
⁶ Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
⁷ Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
⁸ Whose mouth speaks ^[k]lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

⁹ I will sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
¹⁰ The One who gives ^[l]salvation to kings,
Who delivers David His servant
From the deadly sword.

¹¹ Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose 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 ^[m]pillars,
Sculptured in palace style;
¹³ That our barns may be full,
Supplying all kinds of produce;
That our sheep may bring forth thousands
And ten thousands in our fields;
¹⁴ That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no ^[n]breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.
¹⁵ Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!