A.(1)Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
(2) LORD, hear my voice:
let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
(3) If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities,
O LORD, who shall stand?

B.(4) But there is forgiveness with thee,
that thou mayest be feared.

C.(5) I wait for the LORD,
my soul doth wait,

D. and in his word do I hope.

C.(6) My soul waiteth for the LORD
more than they that watch for the morning:
I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

B.(7) Let Israel hope in the LORD:
for with the LORD there is mercy,
and with him is plenteous redemption.

A.(8) And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Note: after the opening prayer, the psalm follows an ABA pattern with the mortality of man contrasted with the eternal God (A/A’). The centre is the way man can obtain eternal life – the Kingdom of God .

1A.(1) Hear my prayer, O LORD,

1B. and let my cry come unto thee.

1C. (2) Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble;

1B’. incline thine ear unto me:

1A’. in the day when I call answer me speedily.

2A. the enduring YHWH contrasted with man of limited days.

a. (3) For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. 4 My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.

b.(5) By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.(6) I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.(7) I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.

c.(8) Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.

b’ (9) For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping, (10) Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.

a’.(11) My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.   (12) But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.

2B. YHWH’s purpose to establish the Kingdom of God in Zion.

a. (13) Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. (14) For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.  (15) So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. (16) When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

b.(17) He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

c.(18) This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.

b’.(19) For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;’ (20) To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

a’. (21) To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; (22) When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

2A. the enduring YHWH contrasted with man of limited days.

a. (23)  He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. (24) I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: 

b. thy years are throughout all generations.

c.(25) Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

d.(26) They shall perish, but thou shalt endure:

c’. yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

b’.(27) But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

a’. (28) The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.

A. 1 I will (will I)  lift up mine eyes unto the hills,
from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the LORD,

B. which made heaven and earth.

C. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:

D. he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

E. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

D’. 5 The LORD is thy keeper:

C’. the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

B’. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

A’. 7 i. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil:
ii. he shall preserve thy soul
iii (8) The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in             from this time forth, and even for evermore.

PSALM 143:3-9:

A (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.

B (4) Therefore is MY SPIRIT overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

C (5) I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work OF THY HANDS.

C¹ (6) I stretch forth MY HANDS unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

B¹ (7 8) Hear me speedily, O Yahweh: MY SPIRIT faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. 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.

A¹ (9) Deliver me, O Yahweh, from MINE ENEMIES: I flee unto thee to hide me.

PSALM 143:8-12:

A (8) Cause me to hear THY LOVINGKINDNESS <02617> in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk;

B (8) for I lift up MY SOUL unto thee.

C (9) Deliver me, O YAHWEH, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.

D (10) Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

C¹ (11) Quicken me, O YAHWEH, for thy name’s sake:

B¹ (11) for thy righteousness’ sake bring MY SOUL out of trouble.

A¹ (12) And OF THY MERCY <02617> cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.

A (1, 2) By the rivers OF BABYLON, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

B (3, 4) For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us MIRTH <08057>, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.  How shall we sing Yahweh’s song in a strange land?

C (5) If I forget thee, O JERUSALEM, let my right hand forget her cunning.

D (6) If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth;

C¹ (6) if I prefer not JERUSALEM

B¹ (6) above my chief JOY <08057>.

A¹ (7-9) Remember, O Yahweh, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. O daughter OF BABYLON, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

A.(1) Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

B.(2) Serve the LORD with gladness:
come before his presence with singing.

C.(3) Know ye that the LORD he is God:
it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

B'(4) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

A.(5) For the LORD is good;
his mercy is everlasting;
and his truth endureth to all generations.

Note: this version brings together two previous posts and comment.

A  (1)  I will sing of mercy and judgment:
unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.

B  (2)  I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way.
O when wilt thou come unto me?
I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

C  (3)  I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:

D  (4) I hate the work of them that turn aside;
it shall not cleave to me.

E. A froward heart shall depart from me:
I will not know a wicked person.

D’  (5)  Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off:
him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.

C’  (6a)  Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land,
that they may dwell with me:

B’  (6b-7)  he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house:
he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.

A’  (8)  I will early destroy all the wicked of the land;
that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.

A  (1-3)  A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth. Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.

B  (4-5)  We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us. How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

C  (6a)  Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee,

D  (6b-7)  and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.

E  (8)  O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

D’  (9)  Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake.

C’  (10)  Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.

B’  (11-12)  Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die; And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

A’  (13)  So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

A (1-4) PRAISE YE YAH.
PRAISE YE the name of Yahweh;
PRAISE HIM, O ye servants of Yahweh.
Ye that stand in the house of Yahweh,
in the courts of the house of our God,
PRAISE YAH;
for Yahweh is good:
sing praises unto his name;
for it is pleasant.
FOR YAH hath chosen Jacob unto himself,
and Israel for his peculiar treasure.

B (5-7) For I know that Yahweh is great,
and that our Lord is above all gods.
Whatsoever Yahweh pleased,
THAT DID HE <06213> in heaven, and in earth,
in the seas, and all deep places.
He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth;
HE MAKETH <06213> lightnings for the rain;

C (7) he bringeth THE WIND <07307> out of his treasuries.

D (8, 9) Who smote the firstborn of Egypt,
both OF MAN and beast.
Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt,
upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.

E (10, 11) Who smote great NATIONS <01471>,
and slew mighty kings;
Sihon king of the Amorites,
and Og king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan:

F (12) And gave their land for an heritage,
an heritage unto Israel HIS PEOPLE.

G (13) Thy name, O Yahweh, endureth for ever;
and thy memorial, O Yahweh, throughout all generations.

F¹ (14) For Yahweh will judge HIS PEOPLE,
and he will repent himself concerning his servants.

E¹ (15) The idols of THE HEATHEN <01471> are silver and gold,

D¹ (15) the work OF MEN’S hands.

C¹ (16, 17) They have mouths, but they speak not;
eyes have they, but they see not;
They have ears, but they hear not;
neither is there ANY BREATH <07307> in their mouths.

B¹ (18) THEY THAT MAKE <06213> them are like unto them:
so is every one that trusteth in them.

A¹ (19-21) Bless Yahweh, O house of Israel:
bless Yahweh, O house of Aaron:
Bless Yahweh, O house of Levi:
ye that fear Yahweh, bless Yahweh.

Blessed be Yahweh out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. PRAISE YE YAH.

A (9, 10) LET THY PRIESTS BE CLOTHED with righteousness; AND LET THY SAINTS SHOUT FOR JOY <07442>. For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.

B (11, 12) Yahweh hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children SHALL ALSO SIT <03427> upon thy throne FOR EVERMORE.

C (13) For Yahweh hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.

B¹ (14) This is my rest FOR EVER: HERE WILL I DWELL <03427>; for I have desired it.

A¹ (15, 16) I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. I WILL ALSO CLOTHE HER PRIESTS with salvation: AND HER SAINTS SHALL SHOUT ALOUD <07442> for joy <07444>.