Psalm 142:1-146:10

Psalm 142In Hebrew texts 142:1-7 is numbered 142:2-8. 1A maskil Title: Probably a literary or musical term of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer. I cry aloud to the LORD ; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.

2I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble.

3When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me.

4Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

5I cry to you, LORD ; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

6Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. 7Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

Psalm 143 1A psalm of David. LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.

2Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you.

3The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in the darkness like those long dead.

4So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed.

5I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.

6I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land. The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

7Answer me quickly, LORD ; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

8Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

9Rescue me from my enemies, LORD, for I hide myself in you.

10Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

11For your name’s sake, LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. 12In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.

Psalm 144 1Of David. Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.

2He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, Jerome and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text subdues my people under me.

3LORD, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them?

4They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow.

5Part your heavens, LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke.

6Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy; shoot your arrows and rout them.

7Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners

8whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful.

9I will sing a new song to you, my God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,

10to the One who gives victory to kings, who delivers his servant David. From the deadly sword

11deliver me; rescue me from the hands of foreigners whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful.

12Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace.

13Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision. Our sheep will increase by thousands, by tens of thousands in our fields;

14our oxen will draw heavy loads. Or our chieftains will be firmly established There will be no breaching of walls, no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets. 15Blessed is the people of whom this is true; blessed is the people whose God is the LORD .

Psalm 145This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which (including verse 13b) begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. 1A psalm of praise. Of David. I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.

2Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.

3Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

4One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.

5They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 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

6They tell of the power of your awesome works— and I will proclaim your great deeds.

7They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

8The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

9The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

10All your works praise you, LORD ; your faithful people extol you.

11They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,

12so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. 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.

14The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.

15The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.

16You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

17The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.

18The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

19He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.

20The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. 21My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD . Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

Psalm 146 1Praise the LORD . Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 10 Praise the LORD, my soul.

2I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

3Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.

4When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.

5Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God.

6He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever.

7He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free,

8the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.

9The LORD watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. 10The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD .