Psalms 143 · Verse 1

Psalms 143:1

A Psalm of David. Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
Psalms 143:1, King James Version

Psalms 143:1 in other translations

BSBA Psalm of David. O LORD, hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness, give ear to my plea; in Your righteousness, answer me.
WEBA Psalm by David. Hear my prayer, LORD. Listen to my petitions. In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me.
ASVA Psalm of David. Hear my prayer, O Jehovah; give ear to my supplications: In thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
YLTA Psalm of David. O Jehovah, hear my prayer, Give ear unto my supplications, In Thy faithfulness answer me--in Thy righteousness.
DARBYA Psalm of David. Jehovah, hear my prayer; give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, in thy righteousness.
BBELet 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;
WebsterA Psalm of David. Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.

What does Psalms 143:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Psa 143:1-12. In structure and style, like the preceding (Psalms 104-142), this Psalm is clearly evinced to be David's. It is a prayer for pardon, and for relief from enemies; afflictions, as usual, producing confession and penitence.

1. in thy faithfulness ... and ... righteousness--or, God's regard to the claims which He has permitted His people to make in His covenant.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The psalmist prays for mercy, and deprecates judgment, Psa 143:1, Psa 143:2. His persecutions, Psa 143:3. His earnest prayer for deliverance, Psa 143:4-9. Prays for God's quickening Spirit, Psa 143:10, Psa 143:11. And for the total discomfiture of his adversaries, Psa 143:12 The Hebrew and all the Versions attribute this Psalm to David; and the Vulgate, Septuagint, Ethiopic and Arabic state that it was composed on the rebellion of his son Absalom: nor is there any thing in the Psalm that positively disagrees with this inscription. This is the last of the seven Psalms styled penitential. Verse 1 In thy faithfulness answer me - Thou hast promised to support me in my difficulties, and, though my children should forsake me, never to withdraw thy loving-kindness from me. See the present unnatural rebellion of my son. Lord, undertake for me!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 143:1-6
We have no righteousness of our own to plead, therefore must plead God's righteousness, and the word of promise which he has freely given us, and caused us to hope in. David, before he prays for the removal of his trouble, prays for the pardon of his sin, and depends upon mercy alone for it. He bemoans the weight upon his mind from outward troubles. But he looks back, and remembers God's former appearance for his afflicted people, and for him in particular. He looks round, and notices the works of God. The more we consider the power of God, the less we shall fear the face or force of man. He looks up with earnest desires towards God and his favour. This is the best course we can take, when our spirits are overwhelmed. The believer will not forget, that in his best actions he is a sinner. Meditation and prayer will recover us from distresses; and then the mourning soul strives to return to the Lord as the infant stretches out its hands to the indulgent mother, and thirsts for his consolations as the parched ground for refreshing rain.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 143:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

יְהוָ֤ה\׀Yah.wehO YahwehH3068
שְׁמַ֬עshe.Ma'hearH8085
תְּפִלָּתִ֗יte.fi.la.Tiprayer myH8605
הַאֲזִ֥ינָהha.'a.Zi.nahgive ear !H238
אֶל\־'el-toH413
תַּחֲנוּנַ֑יta.cha.nu.Naisupplications myH8469
בֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ֥be.'e.mu.na.te.Khain faithfulness yourH530
עֲ֝נֵ֗נִי'a.Ne.nianswer meH6030
בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ\׃be.tzid.ka.Te.chain righteousness yourH6666

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 143:1

  • Psalms 71:2

    Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

  • Psalms 31:1

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

  • Psalms 140:6

    I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.

  • Daniel 9:16

    O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.

  • 1 John 1:9

    If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

  • 2 Samuel 7:25

    And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.

  • Psalms 89:1-2

    Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 David prays for favour in judgment.
3 He complains of his griefs.
5 He strengthens his faith by meditation and prayer.
7 He prays for grace;
9 for deliverance;
10 for sanctification;
12 for destruction of his enemies;

(Title.) A Psalm.The LXX., Vulgate, Ethiopic, and Arabic state that this Psalm was composed by David on the rebellion of his son Absalom; and there are several passages in it which agree remarkably well with that period; for then he had most reason to fear lest God should deal with him according to his sins; which he deprecates with such a deep sense of his unworthiness, that it has hence been numbered among the penitential Psalms, of which it is the last. In it he prays to God for pardon, ver. 1; acknowledges the impossibility of being saved but by grace, ver. 2; deplores the lamentable effects of sin, ver. 3, 4; comforts himself with a retrospect of God's mercies of old, ver. 5; and prays, in a variety of expressions, for remission of sin, sanctification, and redemption, ver. 6-12.
thy faithfulness.
31:1; 71:2; 2Sa 7:25; Da 9:16; 1Jo 1:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 143:1

    A Psalm of David. Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.

  • Psalms 143:2

    And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

Read all of Psalms 143

Psalms 143:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Salmo de David. OH Jehová, oye mi oración, escucha mis ruegos: respóndeme por tu verdad, por tu justicia.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Psaume de David. Éternel! écoute ma prière; prête l’oreille à mes supplications; dans ta fidélité réponds-moi dans ta justice.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jehova! höre mein Gebet, nimm zu Ohren mein Flehen; erhöre mich in deiner Treue, in deiner Gerechtigkeit!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Psalmus David. Adversus Goliath. Benedictus Dominus Deus meus, qui docet manus meas ad prælium, et digitos meos ad bellum.