Psalm 119:143
ESV
Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight.
NIV
Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight.
NASB
Trouble and anguish have come upon me, Yet Your commandments are my delight.
CSB
Trouble and distress have overtaken me, but your commands are my delight.
NLT
As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands.
KJV
Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.
NKJV
Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, Yet Your commandments are my delights.
What does Psalm 119:143 mean?
Please see our chapter commentary on Psalm 119; verse-level content coming soon!Psalm 119:137–144 begins each verse with the Hebrew letter tsadhe. The psalmist places total faith in God's Word as perfect and worthy of obedience. Disobedience to those commands creates an intense response in the writer's heart. God's righteousness is especially emphasized; the writer proclaims that the Lord's instructions are good. The psalmist loves the promises of God and asks for guidance to better understand them. Psalm 19:7–9 expresses related ideas.
This song is composed of twenty-two stanzas, each corresponding to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each line in the stanza is an individual verse and each begins with the corresponding letter. The psalmist emphasizes study of God's Word in a variety of circumstances, including persecution, sadness, and rescue. Benefits of taking in the Word include a moral life, joy, wisdom, hope, peace, strength, and freedom. Those who interact with the Word of the Lord should respond with delight, careful study, and obedience.