Psalm 143

0 A Psalm of David.
1  Hear my prayer, O LORD;
  give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness;
  answer me in your righteousness.
2  Do not enter into judgment with your servant,
  for no one living is righteous before you.
3  For the enemy has pursued me,
  crushing my life to the ground,
  making me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4  Therefore my spirit faints within me;
  my heart within me is appalled.
5  I remember the days of old,
  I think about all your deeds,
  I meditate on the works of your hands.
6  I stretch out my hands to you;
  my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
7  Answer me quickly, O LORD;
  my spirit fails.
 Do not hide your face from me,
  or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
8  Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
  for in you I put my trust.
 Teach me the way I should go,
  for to you I lift up my soul.
9  Save me, O LORD, from my enemies;
  I have fled to you for refuge.
10  Teach me to do your will,
  for you are my God.
 Let your good spirit lead me
  on a level path.
11  For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life.
  In your righteousness bring me out of trouble.
12  In your steadfast love cut off my enemies,
  and destroy all my adversaries,
  for I am your servant.

Daily Prayer (based on Psalm 143:2)

Truly, dear Father, I stand among the unrighteous. Before You I am a sinner. You see not only my errant actions, but also my rebellious heart. You know me through and through.

Yet there is One who stands before You in perfect righteousness: Jesus, who is like us in every way, but without sin. In Him You are fully honored.

By Your rich mercy, You allow me to stand alongside Your Son. Indeed, He took my sin and gave me His righteousness. By myself, I can never be righteous before You. But in Christ I am justified. I've been invited to know You as Jesus knows You, and to stand before You in His perfection. Through Christ I can enjoy Your presence, just as He does.

Postscript

Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

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Except for the Scripture text, all material of The Daily Psalm Copyright © 2006 by Mark D. Roberts

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The Scripture text used in The Daily Psalm is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved