Psalms 143-145

Psalm 143

¹A Psalm. Of David. Let my prayer come to you, O Lord; give ear to my requests for your grace; keep faith with me, and give me an answer in your righteousness;

²Let not your servant come before you to be judged; for no man living is upright in your eyes.

³The evil man has gone after my soul; my life is crushed down to the earth: he has put me in the dark, like those who have long been dead.

⁴Because of this my spirit is overcome; and my heart is full of fear.

⁵I keep in mind the early days of the past, giving thought to all your acts, even to the work of your hands.

⁶My hands are stretched out to you: my soul is turned to you, like a land in need of water. (Selah.)

⁷Be quick in answering me, O Lord, for the strength of my spirit is gone: let me see your face, so that I may not be like those who go down into the underworld.

⁸Let the story of your mercy come to me in the morning, for my hope is in you: give me knowledge of the way in which I am to go; for my soul is lifted up to you.

⁹O Lord, take me out of the hands of my haters; my soul is waiting for you.

¹⁰Give me teaching so that I may do your pleasure; for you are my God: let your good Spirit be my guide into the land of righteousness.

¹¹Give me life, O Lord, because of your name; in your righteousness take my soul out of trouble.

¹²And in your mercy put an end to my haters, and send destruction on all those who are against my soul; for I am your servant.

Psalm 144

¹A Psalm. Of David. Praise be to the God of my strength, teaching my hands the use of the sword, and my fingers the art of fighting:

²He is my strength, and my Rock; my high tower, and my saviour; my keeper and my hope: he gives me authority over my people.

³Lord, what is man, that you keep him in mind? or the son of man that you take him into account?

⁴Man is like a breath: his life is like a shade which is quickly gone.

⁵Come down, O Lord, from your heavens: at your touch let the mountains give out smoke.

⁶With your storm-flames send them in flight: send out your arrows for their destruction.

⁷Put out your hand from on high; make me free, take me safely out of the great waters, and out of the hands of strange men;

⁸In whose mouths are false words, and whose right hand is a right hand of deceit.

⁹I will make a new song to you, O God; I will make melody to you on an instrument of ten cords.

¹⁰It is God who gives salvation to kings; and who kept his servant David from the wounding sword.

¹¹Make me free, and take me out of the hands of strange men, in whose mouths are false words, and whose right hand is a right hand of deceit.

¹²Our sons are like tall young plants; and our daughters like the shining stones of a king's house;

¹³Our store-houses are full of all good things; and our sheep give birth to thousands and ten thousands in our fields.

¹⁴Our oxen are well weighted down; our cows give birth safely; there is no going out, and there is no cry of sorrow in our open places.

¹⁵Happy is the nation whose ways are so ordered: yes, happy is the nation whose God is the Lord.

Psalm 145

¹A Song of praise. Of David. Let me give glory to you, O God, my King; and blessing to your name for ever and ever.

²Every day will I give you blessing, praising your name for ever and ever.

³Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his power may never be searched out.

⁴One generation after another will give praise to your great acts, and make clear the operation of your strength.

⁵My thoughts will be of the honour and glory of your rule, and of the wonder of your works.

⁶Men will be talking of the power and fear of your acts; I will give word of your glory.

⁷Their sayings will be full of the memory of all your mercy, and they will make songs of your righteousness.

⁸The Lord is full of grace and pity; not quickly angry, but great in mercy.

⁹The Lord is good to all men; and his mercies are over all his works.

¹⁰All the works of your hands give praise to you, O Lord; and your saints give you blessing.

¹¹Their words will be of the glory of your kingdom, and their talk of your strength;

¹²So that the sons of men may have knowledge of his acts of power, and of the great glory of his kingdom.

¹³Your kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and your rule is through all generations.

¹⁴The Lord is the support of all who are crushed, and the lifter up of all who are bent down.

¹⁵The eyes of all men are waiting for you; and you give them their food in its time.

¹⁶By the opening of your hand, every living thing has its desire in full measure.

¹⁷The Lord is upright in all his ways, and kind in all his works.

¹⁸The Lord is near all those who give honour to his name; even to all who give honour to him with true hearts.

¹⁹To his worshippers, he will give their desire; their cry comes to his ears, and he gives them salvation.

²⁰The Lord will keep all his worshippers from danger; but he will send destruction on all sinners.

²¹My mouth will give praise to the Lord; let all flesh be blessing his holy name for ever and ever.