Psalm 143:4
New International Version
So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed.

New Living Translation
I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear.

English Standard Version
Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.

Berean Standard Bible
My spirit grows faint within me; my heart is dismayed inside me.

King James Bible
Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

New King James Version
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; My heart within me is distressed.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore my spirit feels weak within me; My heart is appalled within me.

NASB 1995
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; My heart is appalled within me.

NASB 1977
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; My heart is appalled within me.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore my spirit was faint within me; My heart was appalled within me.

Amplified Bible
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed and weak within me [wrapped in darkness]; My heart grows numb within me.

Christian Standard Bible
My spirit is weak within me; my heart is overcome with dismay.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
My spirit is weak within me; my heart is overcome with dismay.

American Standard Version
Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; My heart within me is desolate.

Contemporary English Version
I have given up hope, and I feel numb all over.

English Revised Version
Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
That is why I begin to lose hope and my heart is in a state of shock.

Good News Translation
So I am ready to give up; I am in deep despair.

International Standard Version
As a result, my spirit is desolate within me, and my mind within me is appalled.

Majority Standard Bible
My spirit grows faint within me; my heart is dismayed inside me.

NET Bible
My strength leaves me; I am absolutely shocked.

New Heart English Bible
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me. My heart within me is desolate.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

World English Bible
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me. My heart within me is desolate.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And my spirit has become feeble in me, "" My heart has become desolate within me.

Young's Literal Translation
And my spirit in me is become feeble, Within me is my heart become desolate.

Smith's Literal Translation
And my spirit will languish upon me, and my heart will be desolate within me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
and my spirit is in anguish within me: my heart within me is troubled.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And my spirit has been in anguish over me. My heart within me has been disturbed.

New American Bible
My spirit is faint within me; my heart despairs.

New Revised Standard Version
Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is troubled.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
My spirit is troubled against me and my heart is moved within me.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And my spirit fainteth within me; My heart within me is appalled.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Therefore my spirit was grieved in me; my heart was troubled within me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
I Stretch Out My Hands to You
3For the enemy has pursued my soul, crushing my life to the ground, making me dwell in darkness like those long since dead. 4My spirit grows faint within me; my heart is dismayed inside me. 5I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I consider the work of Your hands.…

Cross References
Psalm 42:6
O my God, my soul despairs within me. Therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon—even from Mount Mizar.

Psalm 77:3
I remembered You, O God, and I groaned; I mused and my spirit grew faint. Selah

Psalm 142:3
Although my spirit grows faint within me, You know my way. Along the path I travel they have hidden a snare for me.

Lamentations 3:20
Surely my soul remembers and is humbled within me.

Job 17:1
“My spirit is broken; my days are extinguished; the grave awaits me.

Isaiah 57:16
For I will not accuse you forever, nor will I always be angry; for then the spirit of man would grow weak before Me—the breath of life I have made.

2 Corinthians 1:8
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.

Psalm 38:8
I am numb and badly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.

Psalm 55:4-5
My heart pounds within me, and the terrors of death assail me. / Fear and trembling grip me, and horror has overwhelmed me.

Psalm 88:3-4
For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. / I am counted among those descending to the Pit. I am like a man without strength.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; / persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

Matthew 26:38
Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”

Psalm 102:4
My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass; I even forget to eat my bread.

Psalm 31:9-10
Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes fail from sorrow, my soul and body as well. / For my life is consumed with grief and my years with groaning; my iniquity has drained my strength, and my bones are wasting away.

Psalm 69:20
Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one.


Treasury of Scripture

Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

is my spirit

Psalm 55:5
Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

Psalm 61:2
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 77:3
I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

my heart

Psalm 25:16
Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.

Psalm 102:3,4
For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth…

Psalm 119:81-83
CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word…

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Appalled Desolate Dismayed Faint Fainteth Faints Fear Feeble Full Grows Heart Overcome Overwhelmed Spirit Within
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Appalled Desolate Dismayed Faint Fainteth Faints Fear Feeble Full Grows Heart Overcome Overwhelmed Spirit Within
Psalm 143
1. David prays for favor in judgment
3. He complains of his grief
5. He strengthens his faith by meditation and prayer
7. He prays for grace
9. For deliverance
10. For sanctification
12. For destruction of his enemies














My spirit grows faint within me;
This phrase reflects a deep sense of personal weakness and exhaustion. In the biblical context, the spirit often represents the inner life or the seat of emotions and will. The psalmist, traditionally understood to be David, expresses a profound weariness that can be linked to his many trials, such as fleeing from Saul or dealing with family strife. This sentiment is echoed in other scriptures, such as Psalm 42:6, where the psalmist's soul is downcast. The fainting spirit can also be seen as a type of Christ's suffering, as Jesus experienced deep anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:38). The phrase invites believers to identify with the psalmist's vulnerability and to seek God's strength in times of personal weakness.

my heart is dismayed inside me.
The heart, in biblical terms, often signifies the center of one's being, encompassing mind, emotions, and will. The dismay described here suggests a state of confusion, fear, or overwhelming distress. Historically, David faced numerous situations that could lead to such dismay, including betrayal and the threat of death. This internal turmoil is a common theme in the Psalms, where the psalmist frequently turns to God for solace and guidance (Psalm 61:2). The dismayed heart can also be seen as a foreshadowing of Christ's own troubled heart, as He faced the cross (John 12:27). This phrase encourages believers to bring their own fears and uncertainties before God, trusting in His ability to provide peace and clarity.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 143, David is expressing a deep sense of distress and seeking God's deliverance.

2. God
The central figure to whom David directs his plea for help and strength.

3. Enemies
Though not explicitly mentioned in this verse, the context of the psalm suggests that David is surrounded by adversaries, contributing to his sense of despair.
Teaching Points
Understanding Spiritual Faintness
Recognize that feeling spiritually faint or dismayed is a common human experience, even for those with strong faith like David.

Turning to God in Distress
David's response to his faintness is to turn to God, highlighting the importance of seeking divine help in times of trouble.

The Role of Prayer
This psalm underscores the power of prayer as a means to express our deepest fears and anxieties to God, trusting in His ability to provide comfort and strength.

Hope in God's Faithfulness
Despite feelings of dismay, believers are encouraged to remember God's past faithfulness and trust in His continued presence and support.

Community Support
While the psalm is a personal lament, it also serves as a reminder of the importance of community in supporting one another through prayer and encouragement.(4) See Psalm 142:3, and Notes.

Is desolate.--Or, more literally, as in Isaiah 59:16; Isaiah 63:5, &c, wondered; literally, fills itself with astonishment.

Verse 4. - Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; or, "faint within me" (see Psalm 42:3). My heart within me is desolate (comp. Psalm 40:15).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
My spirit
רוּחִ֑י (rū·ḥî)
Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

grows faint
וַתִּתְעַטֵּ֣ף (wat·tiṯ·‘aṭ·ṭêp̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5848: To shroud, clothe, to languish

within me;
עָלַ֣י (‘ā·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

my heart
לִבִּֽי׃ (lib·bî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre

is dismayed
יִשְׁתּוֹמֵ֥ם (yiš·tō·w·mêm)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8074: To stun, devastate, stupefy

inside me.
בְּ֝תוֹכִ֗י (bə·ṯō·w·ḵî)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre


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OT Poetry: Psalm 143:4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 143:3
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