Psalm 143

A Cry for Help

A psalm of David.

Lord, hear my prayer.
In your faithfulness listen to my plea,
and in your righteousness answer me.(A)
Do not bring your servant into judgment,(B)
for no one alive is righteous in your sight.(C)

For the enemy has pursued me,
crushing me to the ground,
making me live in darkness
like those long dead.(D)
My spirit is weak within me;
my heart is overcome with dismay.(E)

I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all you have done;
I reflect on the work of your hands.(F)
I spread out my hands to you;
I am like parched land before you.(G)Selah

Answer me quickly, Lord;
my spirit fails.(H)
Don’t hide your face from me,
or I will be like those
going down to the Pit.(I)
Let me experience
your faithful love in the morning,
for I trust in you.(J)
Reveal to me the way I should go
because I appeal to you.(K)
Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;
I come to you for protection.[a](L)
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.(M)
May your gracious Spirit
lead me on level ground.(N)

11 For your name’s sake, Lord,
let me live.
In your righteousness deliver me from trouble,(O)
12 and in your faithful love destroy my enemies.
Wipe out all those who attack me,
for I am your servant.(P)

Psalm 144

A King’s Prayer

Of David.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock(Q)
who trains my hands for battle
and my fingers for warfare.(R)
He is my faithful love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer.
He is my shield,(S) and I take refuge in him;(T)
he subdues my people[b] under me.(U)

Lord, what is a human that you care for him,
a son of man[c] that you think of him?(V)
A human is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow.(W)

Lord, part your heavens and come down.(X)
Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.(Y)
Flash your lightning and scatter the foe;[d]
shoot your arrows and rout them.(Z)
Reach down[e] from on high;(AA)
rescue me from deep water, and set me free
from the grasp of foreigners(AB)
whose mouths speak lies,
whose right hands are deceptive.(AC)

God, I will sing a new song to you;
I will play on a ten-stringed harp for you(AD)
10 the one who gives victory to kings,
who frees his servant David
from the deadly sword.(AE)
11 Set me free and rescue me
from foreigners(AF)
whose mouths speak lies,
whose right hands are deceptive.(AG)

12 Then our sons will be like plants
nurtured in their youth,
our daughters, like corner pillars
that are carved in the palace style.(AH)
13 Our storehouses will be full,
supplying all kinds of produce;(AI)
our flocks will increase by thousands
and tens of thousands in our open fields.(AJ)
14 Our cattle will be well fed.[f]
There will be no breach in the walls,
no going into captivity,[g]
and no cry of lament in our public squares.(AK)
15 Happy are the people with such blessings.
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.(AL)

Psalm 145

Praising God’s Greatness

A hymn of David.

I[h] exalt you, my God the King,
and bless your name forever and ever.(AM)
I will bless you every day;
I will praise your name forever and ever.(AN)

The Lord is great and is highly praised;(AO)
his greatness is unsearchable.(AP)
One generation will declare your works to the next
and will proclaim your mighty acts.(AQ)
I[i] will speak of your splendor and glorious majesty
and[j] your wondrous works.(AR)
They will proclaim the power of your awe-inspiring acts,
and I will declare your greatness.[k](AS)
They will give a testimony of your great goodness
and will joyfully sing of your righteousness.(AT)

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and great in faithful love.(AU)
The Lord is good to everyone;(AV)
his compassion rests on all he has made.(AW)
10 All you have made will thank you, Lord;
the[l] faithful will bless you.(AX)
11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom
and will declare your might,(AY)
12 informing all people of your mighty acts
and of the glorious splendor of your[m] kingdom.(AZ)
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;
your rule is for all generations.(BA)
The Lord is faithful in all his words
and gracious in all his actions.[n](BB)

14 The Lord helps all who fall;
he raises up all who are oppressed.[o](BC)
15 All eyes look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.(BD)
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.(BE)

17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all his acts.(BF)
18 The Lord is near all who call out to him,
all who call out to him with integrity.(BG)
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry for help and saves them.(BH)
20 The Lord guards all those who love him,
but he destroys all the wicked.(BI)
21 My mouth will declare the Lord’s praise;
let every living thing
bless his holy name forever and ever.(BJ)

Footnotes

  1. 143:9 One Hb ms, LXX; some Hb mss read I cover myself to you
  2. 144:2 Some Hb mss, DSS, Aq, Syr, Tg, Jer read subdues peoples; 2Sm 22:48; Ps 18:47
  3. 144:3 Or a mere mortal
  4. 144:6 Lit scatter them
  5. 144:7 Lit down your hands
  6. 144:14 Or will bear heavy loads, or will be pregnant
  7. 144:14 Or be no plague, no miscarriage
  8. 145:1 The lines of this poem form an acrostic.
  9. 145:5 LXX, Syr read They
  10. 145:5 LXX, Syr read and they will tell of
  11. 145:6 Alt Hb tradition, Jer read great deeds
  12. 145:10 Lit your
  13. 145:12 LXX, Syr, Jer; MT reads his
  14. 145:13 One Hb ms, DSS, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss omit The Lord is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his actions.
  15. 145:14 Lit bowed down

The Levitical Gatekeepers

26 The following were the divisions of the gatekeepers:

From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.

Meshelemiah had sons:

Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second,

Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,

Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth,

and Eliehoenai the seventh.

Obed-edom also had sons:

Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second,

Joah the third, Sachar the fourth,

Nethanel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth,

Issachar the seventh, and Peullethai the eighth,

for God blessed him.

Also, to his son Shemaiah were born sons who ruled their ancestral families[a] because they were strong, capable men.

Shemaiah’s sons: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semachiah were also capable men. All of these were among the sons of Obed-edom with their sons and relatives; they were capable men with strength for the work—sixty-two from Obed-edom.

Meshelemiah also had sons and relatives who were capable men—eighteen.

10 Hosah,(A) from the Merarites, also had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father had appointed him as the first), 11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, and Zechariah the fourth. The sons and relatives of Hosah were thirteen in all.

12 These divisions of the gatekeepers, under their leading men, had duties for ministering in the Lord’s temple, just as their relatives did. 13 They cast lots for each temple gate according to their ancestral families, young and old alike.(B)

14 The lot for the east gate fell to Shelemiah.[b] They also cast lots for his son Zechariah, an insightful counselor, and his lot came out for the north gate. 15 Obed-edom’s was the south gate, and his sons’ lot was for the storehouses; 16 it was the west gate and the gate of Shallecheth on the ascending highway for Shuppim and Hosah.

There were guards stationed at every watch. 17 There were six Levites each day[c] on the east, four each day on the north, four each day on the south, and two pair at the storehouses. 18 As for the court on the west, there were four at the highway and two at the court. 19 Those were the divisions of the gatekeepers from the descendants of the Korahites and Merarites.

The Levitical Treasurers and Other Officials

20 From the Levites, Ahijah was in charge of the treasuries of God’s temple and the treasuries of what had been dedicated.(C) 21 From the sons of Ladan, who were the descendants of the Gershonites through Ladan and were the family heads belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli. 22 The sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel, were in charge of the treasuries of the Lord’s temple.

23 From the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: 24 Shebuel, a descendant of Moses’s son Gershom, was the officer in charge of the treasuries. 25 His relatives through Eliezer: his son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zichri, and his son Shelomith.[d] 26 This Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries of what had been dedicated by King David,(D) by the family heads who were the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and by the army commanders. 27 They dedicated part of the plunder from their battles for the repair of the Lord’s temple. 28 All that the seer Samuel, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah had dedicated, along with everything else that had been dedicated, were in the care of Shelomith and his relatives.

29 From the Izrahites: Chenaniah and his sons had duties outside the temple[e](E) as officers and judges(F) over Israel. 30 From the Hebronites: Hashabiah(G) and his relatives, 1,700 capable men, had assigned duties in Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the Lord and for the service of the king. 31 From the Hebronites: Jerijah(H) was the head of the Hebronites, according to the family records of his ancestors. A search was made in the fortieth year of David’s reign and strong, capable men were found among them at Jazer(I) in Gilead. 32 There were among Jerijah’s relatives 2,700 capable men who were family heads. King David appointed them over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh as overseers in every matter relating to God and the king.(J)

David’s Secular Officials

27 This is the list of the Israelites, the family heads, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, and their officers who served the king in every matter to do with the divisions that were on rotated military duty each month throughout[f] the year. There were 24,000 in each division:

Jashobeam son of Zabdiel was in charge of the first division,(K) for the first month; 24,000 were in his division. He was a descendant of Perez and chief of all the army commanders for the first month.

Dodai the Ahohite was in charge of the division for the second month, and Mikloth was the leader; 24,000 were in his division.

The third army commander, as chief for the third month, was Benaiah son of the priest Jehoiada; 24,000 were in his division. This Benaiah was a mighty man among the Thirty and over the Thirty, and his son Ammizabad was in charge[g] of his division.

The fourth commander, for the fourth month, was Joab’s brother Asahel, and his son Zebadiah was commander after him; 24,000 were in his division.

The fifth, for the fifth month, was the commander Shamhuth the Izrahite; 24,000 were in his division.

The sixth, for the sixth month, was Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; 24,000 were in his division.

10 The seventh, for the seventh month, was Helez the Pelonite from the descendants of Ephraim; 24,000 were in his division.

11 The eighth, for the eighth month, was Sibbecai the Hushathite, a Zerahite; 24,000 were in his division.

12 The ninth, for the ninth month, was Abiezer the Anathothite, a Benjaminite; 24,000 were in his division.

13 The tenth, for the tenth month, was Maharai the Netophathite, a Zerahite; 24,000 were in his division.

14 The eleventh, for the eleventh month, was Benaiah the Pirathonite from the descendants of Ephraim; 24,000 were in his division.

15 The twelfth, for the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel’s family;[h] 24,000 were in his division.

16 The following were in charge of the tribes of Israel:

For the Reubenites, Eliezer son of Zichri was the chief official;

for the Simeonites, Shephatiah son of Maacah;

17 for the Levites, Hashabiah son of Kemuel; for Aaron, Zadok;

18 for Judah, Elihu, one of David’s brothers; for Issachar, Omri son of Michael;

19 for Zebulun, Ishmaiah son of Obadiah;

for Naphtali, Jerimoth son of Azriel;

20 for the Ephraimites, Hoshea son of Azaziah;

for half the tribe of Manasseh, Joel son of Pedaiah;

21 for half the tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo son of Zechariah;

for Benjamin, Jaasiel son of Abner;

22 for Dan, Azarel son of Jeroham.

Those were the leaders of the tribes of Israel.(L)

23 David didn’t count the men aged twenty or under, for the Lord had said he would make Israel as numerous as the stars of the sky.(M) 24 Joab son of Zeruiah began to count them, but he didn’t complete it. There was wrath against Israel because of this census,(N) and the number was not entered in the Historical Record[i] of King David.

25 Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the king’s storehouses.

Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the country, in the cities, in the villages, and in the fortresses.

26 Ezri son of Chelub was in charge of those who worked in the fields tilling the soil.

27 Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards.

Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars.

28 Baal-hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore trees(O) in the Judean foothills.[j]

Joash was in charge of the stores of olive oil.

29 Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the herds that grazed in Sharon,(P) while Shaphat son of Adlai was in charge of the herds in the valleys.

30 Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels.

Jehdeiah the Meronothite was in charge of the donkeys.

31 Jaziz the Hagrite(Q) was in charge of the flocks.

All these were officials in charge of King David’s property.

32 David’s uncle Jonathan was a counselor; he was a man of understanding and a scribe. Jehiel son of Hachmoni attended[k] the king’s sons. 33 Ahithophel(R) was the king’s counselor. Hushai(S) the Archite was the king’s friend. 34 After Ahithophel came Jehoiada son of Benaiah,(T) then Abiathar.(U) Joab was the commander of the king’s army.(V)

Footnotes

  1. 26:6 Lit the house of their fathers, also in v. 13
  2. 26:14 Variant of Meshelemiah
  3. 26:17 LXX; MT omits each day
  4. 26:25 Or Shelomoth, also in vv. 26,28
  5. 26:29 the temple added for clarity
  6. 27:1 Lit that came in and went out month by month for all months of
  7. 27:6 LXX; MT omits in charge
  8. 27:15 Lit belonging to Othniel
  9. 27:24 LXX; MT reads the number of the Historical Record
  10. 27:28 Or the Shephelah
  11. 27:32 Lit was with

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