Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 143 (MT) / Psalm 142 (LXX) is the seventh and last penitential psalm (Ps 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143). Verse 2 — 'enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you' — is cited at Galatians 2:16 and Romans 3:20 in Paul's justification-by-faith argument: 'by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight' directly echoes this psalmic confession.
Notable Variants
143:2 'no one living is righteous before you' → Galatians 2:16 / Romans 3:20 Pauline justification-text; 143:10 'teach me to do your will' classic discipleship prayer; the seventh-penitential-psalm closure.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 143 = LXX Ps 142. 12 verses. Seventh penitential psalm.
A psalm of David. LORD, hear my prayer. Listen to my pleas for mercy. In your faithfulness, answer me — in your righteousness.
Superscription 'A Psalm of David' tracks MT.
Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before you.
'Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!' tracks MT.
For the enemy has pursued my life. He has crushed my existence to the ground. He has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
Masoretic (WLC)
וְאַל־תָּבוֹא בְמִשְׁפָּט אֶת־עַבְדֶּךָ כִּי לֹא־יִצְדַּק לְפָנֶיךָ כָל־חָי
Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you
Septuagint (LXX)
καὶ μὴ εἰσέλθῃς εἰς κρίσιν μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου ὅτι οὐ δικαιωθήσεται ἐνώπιόν σου πᾶς ζῶν
Do not enter into judgment with your servant, for no one living shall be justified in your sight
GALATIANS 2:16 / ROMANS 3:20 CITATION. Paul cites the key-phrase of this verse in both: (a) GALATIANS 2:16 — 'by works of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight' (ou dikaiōthēsetai pasa sarx); (b) ROMANS 3:20 — 'by works of the law no flesh shall be justified in his sight' (diotei ex ergōn nomou ou dikaiōthēsetai pasa sarx enōpion autou). The LXX's 'ou dikaiōthēsetai enōpion sou pas zōn' ('no one living shall be justified in your sight') is the direct-source of Paul's justification-by-faith language.
SUBSTITUTION OF 'FLESH' FOR 'LIVING.' Paul substitutes 'pasa sarx' (all flesh) for the LXX's 'pas zōn' (every-living-one) — a more Hebrew-idiom substitution (kol basar for kol chai). The theological-point holds: universal-unjustifiability-by-works-of-law, grounded in the Davidic-confession that no-human can stand-righteous-before-God in judgment.
The psalm is David's repentance-confession; Paul's reading extends it as the universal-human-condition that Christ's-atoning-work-resolves.
My spirit grows faint within me. My heart inside me is stunned.
'For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead' tracks MT. SIT-IN-DARKNESS-LIKE-LONG-DEAD. Christologically read of Christ's Holy-Saturday-tomb.
I remember the days of old. I meditate on all your works. I reflect on what your hands have done.
'Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled' tracks MT.
I stretch out my hands to you. My soul is like parched ground thirsting for you. Selah.
'I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands' tracks MT. MEMORY-AS-CONSOLATION — the Davidic-remembrance practice.
Answer me quickly, LORD — my spirit is failing. Do not hide your face from me, or I will become like those who go down to the pit.
'I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land' tracks MT. SOUL-THIRSTS-LIKE-PARCHED-LAND — Ps 42:1, 63:1 echoed.
Let me hear your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in you. Show me the path I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you.
'Answer me quickly, O LORD! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit' tracks MT.
Rescue me from my enemies, LORD. I have hidden myself in you.
'Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul' tracks MT.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
'Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD! I have fled to you for refuge' tracks MT.
For the sake of your name, LORD, give me life. In your righteousness, bring my soul out of distress.
'Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!' tracks MT. TEACH-ME-TO-DO-YOUR-WILL classic discipleship-prayer. 'GOOD SPIRIT' (ruach-tovah / pneuma agathon) — divine-Spirit-designation. Galatians 5:22–25 ('the fruit of the Spirit … walk by the Spirit') extends.
In your faithful love, silence my enemies. Destroy all who oppress my life, for I am your servant.
'For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!' tracks MT.
'And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant' tracks MT.