Psalm 143
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and con- | sider • my de- | sire; ||
hearken unto me for thy | truth and | 3 righteousness' | sake. ||
2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
2 And enter not into | judgment • with thy | servant; ||
for in thy sight shall | no man | 3 living be | justi•fied. ||
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; * he hath smitten my life | down • to the | ground; ||
he hath laid me in the darkness, as the | men • that have | been long | dead. ||
4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
4 Therefore is my spirit | vexed with- | in me, ||
and my | heart with- | 3 in me is | deso•late. ||
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
5 Yet do I remember the time past; * I muse upon | all thy | works; ||
yea, I exercise my- | self • in the | 3 works of thy | hands. ||
6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
6 I stretch forth my | hands • unto | thee; ||
my soul gaspeth unto | thee • as a | thirsty | land. ||
7 Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
7 Hear me, O Lord, and that soon; * for my | spirit • waxeth | faint: ||
hide not thy face from me, * lest I be like unto | 3 them that go | down in•to the | pit. ||
8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
8 O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning; * for in | 3 thee is my | trust: ||
show thou me the way that I should walk in; * for I 3 lift | up my | soul • unto | thee. ||
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
9 Deliver me, O | Lord, • from mine | ene•mies; ||
for I | flee • unto | thee to | hide me. ||
10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
10 Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee; * for | 3 thou art my | God: ||
let thy loving Spirit lead me | forth in•to the | land of | righteous•ness. ||
11 Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
11 Quicken me, O | Lord, • for thy | Name's sake; ||
and for thy righteousness' sake | bring my | soul • out of | trouble. ||
12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.
12 And of thy goodness | slay mine | ene•mies, ||
and destroy all them that vex my | soul; for | I am • thy | servant. ||
About the Pointing
The text of the Coverdale Psalter follows the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer. The pointing, suitably adapted, is taken from Charles Macpherson, Edward C. Bairstow, and Percy C. Buck, The English Psalter (Novello & Co., 1925).