Psalms

Psalm 143:1–3

¹A Psalm of David.

O LORD, hear my prayer.

In Your faithfulness, give ear to my plea;

in Your righteousness, answer me.

²Do not bring Your servant into judgment,

for no one alive is righteous before You.

³For the enemy has pursued my soul,

crushing my life to the ground,

making me dwell in darkness

like those long since dead.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
A Psalm	מִזְמ֗וֹר	miz·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H4210 melody
of David	לְדָ֫וִ֥ד	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
O LORD	יְהוָ֤ה׀	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
hear	שְׁמַ֬ע	šə·ma‘	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8085 hear
my prayer	תְּפִלָּתִ֗י	tə·p̄il·lā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H8605 prayer
In Your faithfulness	בֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ֥	be·’ĕ·mu·nā·ṯə·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H530 firmness, steadfastness, fidelity
give ear	הַאֲזִ֥ינָה	ha·’ă·zî·nāh	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H238 give ear, listen, hear
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
my plea	תַּחֲנוּנַ֑י	ta·ḥă·nū·nay	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H8469 supplication for favour
in Your righteousness	בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃	bə·ṣiḏ·qā·ṯe·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6666 righteousness
answer me	עֲ֝נֵ֗נִי	‘ă·nê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H6030 answer, respond

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	וְאַל־	wə·’al-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
bring	תָּב֣וֹא	tā·ḇō·w	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
Your servant	עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ	‘aḇ·de·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
into judgment	בְ֭מִשְׁפָּט	ḇə·miš·pāṭ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment
for	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
no one	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
alive	חָֽי׃	ḥāy	Adjective - masculine singular	H2416 alive, living
is righteous	יִצְדַּ֖ק	yiṣ·daq	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6663 be just, righteous
before You	לְפָנֶ֣יךָ	lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6440 face, before

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the enemy	אוֹיֵ֨ב׀	’ō·w·yêḇ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H341 be hostile to
has pursued	רָ֘דַ֤ף	rā·ḏap̄	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7291 pursue, chase, persecute
my soul	נַפְשִׁ֗י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
crushing	דִּכָּ֣א	dik·kā	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1792 crush
my life	חַיָּתִ֑י	ḥay·yā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H2416 alive, living
to the ground	לָ֭אָרֶץ	lā·’ā·reṣ	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
making me dwell	הוֹשִׁיבַ֥נִי	hō·wō·šî·ḇa·nî	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
in darkness	בְ֝מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗ים	ḇə·ma·ḥă·šak·kîm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural	H4285 dark place
like those long since	עוֹלָֽם׃	‘ō·w·lām	Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
dead	כְּמֵתֵ֥י	kə·mê·ṯê	Preposition-k; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H4191 die

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Psalm 143:1 Psalm 71:2 · Psalm 140:6 · Psalm 31:1 · Daniel 9:16 · 1 John 1:9 · Psalm 89:1–2 · 2 Samuel 7:25

Psalm 143:2 Ecclesiastes 7:20 · Job 25:4 · Romans 3:20 · Psalm 130:3 · 1 John 1:10 · Galatians 2:16 · Job 15:14 · Job 14:3 · Job 4:17 · 1 Kings 8:46 · Exodus 34:7 · Job 9:2–3

Psalm 143:3 Lamentations 3:6 · Psalm 7:5 · Psalm 7:1–2 · Psalm 142:6 · Psalm 17:9–13 · Psalm 88:4–6 · 2 Samuel 2:22 · Psalm 35:4 · Psalm 54:3 · 2 Samuel 18:11 · Ezekiel 37:11 · Psalm 31:12–13

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.