Psalm 143 is the last of the seven penitential psalms: “Hear, O Lord, my prayer… enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight no man living shall be justified.” In darkness and anguish the psalmist reaches out to God like dry ground thirsting for rain, and asks, “Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God.” In the Douay-Rheims it is numbered Psalm 142. Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.
Psalm 143 in the Douay-Rheims Bible
Hear, O Lord, my prayer: give ear to my supplication in thy truth: hear me in thy justice.
And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight no man living shall be justified.
For the enemy hath persecuted my soul: he hath brought down my life to the earth. He hath made me to dwell in darkness as those that have been dead of old:
And my spirit is in anguish within me: my heart within me is troubled.
I remembered the days of old, I meditated on all thy works: I meditated upon the works of thy hands.
I stretched forth my hands to thee: my soul is as earth without water unto thee.
Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit hath fainted away. Turn not away thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for in thee have I hoped. Make the way known to me, wherein I should walk: for I have lifted up my soul to thee.
Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, to thee have I fled:
Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. Thy good spirit shall lead me into the right land:
For thy name’s sake, O Lord, thou wilt quicken me in thy justice. Thou wilt bring my soul out of trouble:
And in thy mercy thou wilt destroy my enemies. And thou wilt cut off all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.
Psalm 143 or Psalm 142?
The Douay-Rheims Bible follows the numbering of the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint, while most modern Bibles follow the Hebrew. So the Douay’s Psalm 142 is Psalm 143 in the New American Bible and other modern translations. In Latin the psalm begins Domine, exaudi orationem meam: auribus percipe obsecrationem meam. See how many psalms are there?
What the psalm means
- No one is righteous on his own: “in thy sight no man living shall be justified.” St. Paul teaches the same (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16): we are saved by God’s grace.
- Darkness and remembering: in trouble the psalmist recalls “the days of old” and God’s works.
- Thirst for God: “my soul is as earth without water unto thee.”
- Mercy in the morning: “Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for in thee have I hoped.”
- A prayer for guidance: “Teach me to do thy will… Thy good spirit shall lead me.”
How the Church uses Psalm 143
- At Night Prayer (Compline) on Tuesdays. See Compline.
- Among the seven penitential psalms, prayed in Lent. See the seven penitential psalms.
A prayer with Psalm 143
Written for this page:
Lord, hear my prayer; do not enter into judgment with your servant.
My soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
Let me hear your mercy in the morning, for I trust in you.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; let your good Spirit lead me. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Where is “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God”?
Psalm 143:10 (142:10 in the Douay-Rheims).
Why is Psalm 143 prayed at night?
Because it entrusts the soul to God in darkness and asks for his mercy “in the morning”; the Church prays it at Night Prayer on Tuesdays.
More psalms and prayers
- Psalms for guidance
- The Seven Penitential Psalms
- Psalm 25
- Psalm 51 (Miserere)
- Compline (Night Prayer)
- How many psalms are there?
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Psalm 142 (143), Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- The prayer was written for this page.