Psalms 143:7

Authorized King James Version

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Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

Original Language Analysis

מַ֘הֵ֤ר me speedily H4118
מַ֘הֵ֤ר me speedily
Strong's: H4118
Word #: 1 of 13
properly, hurrying; hence (adverbially) in a hurry
עֲנֵ֨נִי׀ Hear H6030
עֲנֵ֨נִי׀ Hear
Strong's: H6030
Word #: 2 of 13
properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e., pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout,
יְהוָה֮ O LORD H3068
יְהוָה֮ O LORD
Strong's: H3068
Word #: 3 of 13
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
כָּלְתָ֪ה faileth H3615
כָּלְתָ֪ה faileth
Strong's: H3615
Word #: 4 of 13
to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitive (to complete, prepare, consume)
ר֫וּחִ֥י my spirit H7307
ר֫וּחִ֥י my spirit
Strong's: H7307
Word #: 5 of 13
wind; by resemblance breath, i.e., a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the
אַל H408
אַל
Strong's: H408
Word #: 6 of 13
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
תַּסְתֵּ֣ר hide H5641
תַּסְתֵּ֣ר hide
Strong's: H5641
Word #: 7 of 13
to hide (by covering), literally or figuratively
פָּנֶ֣יךָ not thy face H6440
פָּנֶ֣יךָ not thy face
Strong's: H6440
Word #: 8 of 13
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
מִמֶּ֑נִּי H4480
מִמֶּ֑נִּי
Strong's: H4480
Word #: 9 of 13
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי from me lest I be like H4911
וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי from me lest I be like
Strong's: H4911
Word #: 10 of 13
to liken, i.e., (transitively) to use figurative language (an allegory, adage, song or the like); intransitively, to resemble
עִם H5973
עִם
Strong's: H5973
Word #: 11 of 13
adverb or preposition, with (i.e., in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then
יֹ֥רְדֵי unto them that go down H3381
יֹ֥רְדֵי unto them that go down
Strong's: H3381
Word #: 12 of 13
to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); cau
בֽוֹר׃ into the pit H953
בֽוֹר׃ into the pit
Strong's: H953
Word #: 13 of 13
a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or a prison)

Analysis & Commentary

Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. David's petition expresses urgency: "Hear me speedily" (maher aneni, מַהֵר עֲנֵנִי) literally means "hurry, answer me." The verb maher (מַהֵר) conveys haste—David cannot wait long; his situation is desperate. "My spirit faileth" uses kalah (כָּלָה), meaning to be finished, spent, consumed, or exhausted. David's ruach (spirit/life-force) is giving out.

"Hide not thy face from me" expresses the terror of divine withdrawal. God's "face" (panim, פָּנִים) represents His presence, favor, and attention. To hide the face is to withdraw blessing and protection (Deuteronomy 31:17-18; Psalm 27:9; 30:7). The Aaronic benediction's climax is "The LORD make his face shine upon thee" (Numbers 6:25). Without God's face, humans descend to the pit.

"Lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit" (pen-emshal im-yordei vor, פֶּן־אֶמְשַׁל עִם־יֹרְדֵי בוֹר) expresses dread of death. Bor (בּוֹר) means pit, cistern, or grave—Sheol, the realm of the dead. David fears not just physical death but existence without God's presence, which would be indistinguishable from the death of the godless. This anticipates Christ's cry of dereliction: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)—the ultimate experience of God hiding His face.

Historical Context

In Israelite theology, Sheol was not originally conceived as a place of punishment but as the shadowy underworld where all the dead went—a realm of darkness, silence, and separation from active participation in life and worship (Psalm 6:5; 88:10-12; 115:17; Isaiah 38:18). The dread of Sheol wasn't eternal torment (a later development) but cessation of relationship with God and community. Resurrection hope emerged gradually through Israel's history, with clearer articulation in later prophets (Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2) and full revelation in Christ's resurrection.

Questions for Reflection