Psalms – Chapter 143

Old Testament15 Verses

Chapter Summary

"Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to war." — so begins Psalms 143. David stands at the center of this chapter. Across its 15 verses, two threads run through the text: God's protection and deliverance and family and covenant relationships. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to war.

2My mercy, and my refuge: my support, and my deliverer: My protector, and I have hoped in him: who subdueth my people under me.

3Lord, what is man, that thou art made known to him? or the son of man, that thou makest account of him?

4Man is like to vanity: his days pass away like a shadow.

5Lord, bow down thy heavens and descend: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

6Send forth lightning, and thou shalt scatter them: shoot out thy arrows, and thou shalt trouble them.

7Put forth thy hand from on high, take me out, and deliver me from many waters: from the hand of strange children:

8Whose mouth hath spoken vanity: and their right hand is the right hand of iniquity.

9To thee, O God, I will sing a new canticle: on the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings I will sing praises to thee.

10Who givest salvation to kings: who hast redeemed thy servant David from the malicious sword:

11Deliver me, And rescue me out of the hand of strange children; whose mouth hath spoken vanity: and their right hand is the right hand of iniquity:

12Whose sons are as new plants in their youth: Their daughters decked out, adorned round about after the similitude of a temple:

13Their storehouses full, flowing out of this into that. Their sheep fruitful in young, abounding in their goings forth:

14Their oxen fat. There is no breach of wall, nor passage, nor crying out in their streets.

15They have called the people happy, that hath these things: but happy is that people whose God is the Lord.

Important Verses in Psalms 143

Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to war.

Psalms 143:1

Lord, bow down thy heavens and descend: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

Psalms 143:5

Who givest salvation to kings: who hast redeemed thy servant David from the malicious sword:

Psalms 143:10

They have called the people happy, that hath these things: but happy is that people whose God is the Lord.

Psalms 143:15

Historical Context

Psalms belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for god's people at prayer in every age. Chapter 143 of 150 moves toward the climax of the book as earlier promises and conflicts converge. It is a liturgical poem composed for Temple worship and personal prayer with 15 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Historical attention falls on David, the principal figures named in this chapter. The chapter begins: "Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to war." The chapter ends with: "They have called the people happy, that hath these things: but happy is that people whose God is the Lord. " Read against its original backdrop, The 150 Psalms are the inspired prayer book of Israel and of the Church, spanning every human emotion—praise, lament, thanksgiving, repentance, and hope. Scholarly and ecclesial tradition places the composition of Psalms around Composed across nearly a millennium, from David (c. 1000 BC) to after the exile.

Who Wrote It

David is credited with many psalms; others by Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, and anonymous psalmists

When It Was Written

Composed across nearly a millennium, from David (c. 1000 BC) to after the exile

Catholic Commentary

The poem's language was meant to be prayed aloud, giving voice to the full range of human experience before the Lord. A pivotal line is verse 1: "Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to war." The passage repeatedly touches on God's protection and deliverance.

According to Catholic interpretation, this chapter contributes to the book's portrait of prayer, praise, and the full range of human emotion before God. the Psalms are the prayer book of the Church, prayed daily in the Liturgy of the Hours (CIC 2585-2589). The Catechism and the liturgy frequently draw on such passages to nourish faith and moral life (CIC 1965).

The moral and spiritual import remains timely: The Lord is a refuge and deliverer for all who call upon Him in trouble.. St. Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ; this chapter offers material for meditation, examination of conscience, and deeper love of God.

Main Teachings

  • The Lord is a refuge and deliverer for all who call upon Him in trouble.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.

People in This Chapter

David1 mention

Reflection for Today

Psalms Chapter 143 belongs to the Old Testament and forms part of the Catholic canon proclaimed in the liturgy of the Word.

Through typology, the Church often reads Old Testament passages as preparing for Christ, while New Testament passages reveal Him explicitly. the Psalms are the prayer book of the Church, prayed daily in the Liturgy of the Hours (CIC 2585-2589). Here the believer is invited to ponder gratitude as the foundation of prayer.

May your reading of Psalms Chapter 143 become true lectio divina: read the words, meditate on their meaning, respond in prayer, and rest in God's presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to show how God invites us to bring all our emotions to Him applies to your life today.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Psalms Chapter 143 about?

Psalms 143 contains 15 verses. It opens with "Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to war." and closes with "They have called the people happy, that hath these things: but happy is that people whose God is the Lord. ". The book as a whole is liturgical poetry and prayer.

What is a key verse in Psalms 143?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to war." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Psalms Chapter 143?

This chapter mentions David.

Who wrote Psalms and when?

David is credited with many psalms; others by Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, and anonymous psalmists. Composed across nearly a millennium, from David (c. 1000 BC) to after the exile.

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