Pentecost · The Day of Pentecost · Year C

Psalm 143

My Soul Thirsts for You

June 4, 2028

The Scapegoat, William Holman Hunt — **The Scapegoat**, William Holman Hunt, 1854Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight · public domain

LSB Three-Year Lectionary

GospelJohn 14:23-31

EpistleActs 2:1-21

Old TestamentGen. 11:1-9

PsalterPs. 143

Overview & Insights

“My soul thirsts for you like a parched land.” (Psalm 143:6)

This individual prayer psalm is highly formulaic, that is, it consists of stock phrases repeated elsewhere in the Psalms (v. 3 // 7:5; Lam. 3:6; v. 4 // 77:3; 142:3; vv. 5–6 // 77:2, 5, 12; v. 6 // 63:1; v. 7 // 69:17; 88:4, 14; 102:2; v. 8 // 90:14; in general cf. Pss. 25; 86; further parallels listed in Culley, Oral Formulaic Language , p. 107). Yet it reflects an intimacy with God that is strikingly singular among the psalms.

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Commentary

Psalm 143 Commentary Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's commentary on this penitential prayer for rescue and guidance.

Psalm 143 (Barnes' Notes) StudyLight

Albert Barnes' verse-by-verse notes on the psalm's plea and closing petitions.

Background & Word Study

Psalm 143:1 Interlinear BibleHub

Hebrew interlinear text for the psalm's opening plea.

Psalm 143 Sefaria

Hebrew text with classic Jewish commentary for the psalm.

The Church Fathers

Psalm 143 Catena

Patristic comment collected verse by verse on this prayer psalm.

Art & Music

Art, music and hymns for Psalm 143 Vanderbilt

The Vanderbilt Divinity Library index of visual art, hymns and music chosen for this reading.

Questions preachers ask

What is Psalm 143?

A prayer of one pursued and faint of spirit, thirsting for God like dry ground and asking to be taught the way he should go, for he lifts up his soul to the Lord.

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