Mazmur 143:4

143:4 My strength leaves me; ¹ 

I am absolutely shocked. ² 

Mazmur 143:7

143:7 Answer me quickly, Lord!

My strength is fading. ³ 

Do not reject me, ⁴ 

or I will join ⁵  those descending into the grave. ⁶ 

[143:4]  ¹ tn Heb “my spirit grows faint.”

[143:4]  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.

[143:7]  ³ tn Heb “my spirit is failing.”

[143:7]  ⁴ 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).

[143:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “I will be equal with.”

[143:7]  ⁶ 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.