Discovery BoxPsalms 143:4-7 
Context143:4 My strength leaves me; 1
I am absolutely shocked. 2
143:5 I recall the old days; 3
I meditate on all you have done;
I reflect on your accomplishments. 4
143:6 I spread my hands out to you in prayer; 5
my soul thirsts for you in a parched 6 land. 7
143:7 Answer me quickly, Lord!
My strength is fading. 8
Do not reject me, 9
1 tn Heb “my spirit grows faint.”
2 tn Heb “in my midst my heart is shocked.” For a similar use of the Hitpolel of שָׁמֵם (shamem), see Isa 59:16; 63:5.
3 tn Or “ancient times”; Heb “days from before.”
4 tn Heb “the work of your hands.”
5 tn The words “in prayer” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the psalmist is referring to a posture of prayer.
6 tn Heb “faint” or “weary.” See Ps 63:1.
7 tc Heb “my soul like a faint land for you.” A verb (perhaps “thirsts”) is implied (see Ps 63:1). The translation assumes an emendation of the preposition -כְּ (kÿ, “like”) to -בְּ (bÿ, “in,” see Ps 63:1; cf. NEB “athirst for thee in a thirsty land”). If the MT is retained, one might translate, “my soul thirsts for you, as a parched land does for water/rain” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
8 tn Heb “my spirit is failing.”
9 tn Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” (1) can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) can carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
10 tn Heb “I will be equal with.”
11 tn Heb “the pit.” The Hebrew noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit; cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See Ps 28:1.
