A prayer of the Righteous One, when feeling the heat of the weary land 

This may have been written at the same time as the two previous psalms. Again, David mentions that his spirit is overwhelmed, and his only recourse was to remember, meditate and consequently stretch forth his hands to God. There was a soul-thirst that only God could meet. 

His urgency is especially noted by his supplications in vv. 7-11, hear me; cause me; deliver me; hide me; teach me; lead me and quicken me. When trouble becomes personal, then one’s prayer gets very personal. The grounds of David’s prayer rested not in any qualification in himself, but even though he be king, he saw that he was but the Lord’s servant: a role of submission and service. So also our Lord was God’s servant, whom He upheld, and His elect in whom He delighted.

Psalm 143 - Second Version

 1  Oh, hear my prayer, Lord,
       And unto my desire
    To bow thine ear accord,
       I humbly thee require;
    And, in thy faithfulness,
       Unto me answer make,
    And, in thy righteousness,
       Upon me pity take.

 2  In judgment enter not
       With me thy servant poor;
    For why, this well I wot,
       No sinner can endure
    The sight of thee, O God:
       If thou his deeds shalt try,
    He dare make none abode
       Himself to justify.

 3  Behold, the cruel foe
       Me persecutes with spite,
    My soul to overthrow:
       Yea, he my life down quite
    Unto the ground hath smote,
       And made me dwell full low
    In darkness, as forgot,
       Or men dead long ago.

 4  Therefore my sp'rit much vexed,
       O'erwhelmed is me within;
    My heart right sore perplexed
       And desolate hath been.
 5  Yet I do call to mind
       What ancient days record,
    Thy works of ev'ry kind
       I think upon, O Lord.

 6  Lo, I do stretch my hands
       To thee, my help alone;
    For thou well understands
       All my complaint and moan:
    My thirsting soul desires,
       And longeth after thee,
    As thirsty ground requires
       With rain refreshed to be.

 7  Lord, let my pray'r prevail,
       To answer it make speed;
    For, lo, my sp'rit doth fail:
       Hide not thy face in need;
    Lest I be like to those
       That do in darkness sit,
    Or him that downward goes
       Into the dreadful pit.

 8  Because I trust in thee,
       O Lord, cause me to hear
    Thy loving-kindness free,
       When morning doth appear:
    Cause me to know the way
       Wherein my path should be;
    For why, my soul on high
       I do lift up to thee.

 9  From my fierce enemy
       In safety do me guide,
    Because I flee to thee,
       Lord, that thou may'st me hide.
10  My God alone art thou,
       Teach me thy righteousness:
    Thy Sp'rit's good, lead me to
       The land of uprightness.

11  O Lord, for thy name's sake,
       Be pleased to quicken me;
    And, for thy truth, forth take
       My soul from misery.
12  And of thy grace destroy
       My foes, and put to shame
    All who my soul annoy;
       For I thy servant am.