David asks the LORD to hear his prayer according to faithfulness and righteousness, but not to enter into judgment with him, since no living person is righteous before God. With his spirit crushed under the enemy's pursuit, he remembers God's former works, stretches out empty hands in thirst, and then asks for quick answer, morning steadfast love, guidance on the right path, deliverance from enemies, instruction in doing God's will, and renewed life for God's name's sake.
Psalm 143 follows Psalm 142 by keeping the setting of weakness and pursuit, but it broadens the prayer from rescue alone into confession, remembrance, guidance, and obedience. It fits Book V as a psalm where deliverance is inseparable from being taught the LORD's will, so that the cry for survival becomes also a cry to be led by God's good Spirit on level ground.
A continuous BSB reading flow. Turn on the guide when you want authored orientation; leave it off when you simply want the text.
A1 Psalm of David. 2Do not bring Your servant into judgment,
3For the enemy has pursued my soul, 4My spirit grows faint within me; 5I remember the days of old; 6I stretch out my hands to You;
7Answer me quickly, O LORD; 8Let me hear Your loving devotion in the morning, 9Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD; 10Teach me to do Your will,
11For the sake of Your name, O LORD, 12And in Your loving devotion,
Each section keeps the passage focused, adds summaries and cross references, and gives verse-level links.