Passage: Psalms 143, 144 (RSV)


Psalms 143

A Psalm of David.

1Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my supplications! In thy faithfulness answer me, in thy righteousness!
2Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for no man living is righteous before thee.
3For the enemy has pursued me; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.
5I remember the days of old, I meditate on all that thou hast done; I muse on what thy hands have wrought.
6I stretch out my hands to thee; my soul thirsts for thee like a parched land. [Selah]
7Make haste to answer me, O LORD! My spirit fails! Hide not thy face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the Pit.
8Let me hear in the morning of thy steadfast love, for in thee I put my trust. Teach me the way I should go, for to thee I lift up my soul.
9Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies! I have fled to thee for refuge!
10Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God! Let thy good spirit lead me on a level path!
11For thy name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life! In thy righteousness bring me out of trouble!
12And in thy steadfast love cut off my enemies, and destroy all my adversaries, for I am thy servant.

Psalms 144

A Song of Praise. Of David.

1Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;
2my rock and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues the peoples under him.
3O LORD, what is man that thou dost regard him, or the son of man that thou dost think of him?
4Man is like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow.
5Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains that they smoke!
6Flash forth the lightning and scatter them, send out thy arrows and rout them!
7Stretch forth thy hand from on high, rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of aliens,
8whose mouths speak lies, and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9I will sing a new song to thee, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to thee,
10who givest victory to kings, who rescuest David thy servant.
11Rescue me from the cruel sword, and deliver me from the hand of aliens, whose mouths speak lies, and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
12May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;
13may our garners be full, providing all manner of store; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
14may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mischance or failure in bearing; may there be no cry of distress in our streets!
15Happy the people to whom such blessings fall! Happy the people whose God is the LORD!



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