Psalms 143:9 — Word Study
WLCהַצִּילֵ֖נִי מֵאֹיְבַ֥י׀ יְהוָ֗ה אֵלֶ֥יךָ כִסִּֽתִי׃
BSADeliver menâtsal [rescue, snatch away] from my enemiesʼôyêb [those who hate or oppose me] O LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] I flee to Youʼêl [run to, take refuge, toward Your presence] for refugekâçâh■ [to hide, be covered]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַצִּילֵ֖נִי | deliver me | Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| מֵאֹיְבַ֥י׀ | from enemies my | Preposition, verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| יְהוָ֗ה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| אֵלֶ֥יךָ | to you | Preposition, suffix |
| כִסִּֽתִי׃ | I have covered | Verb, Piel, perfect first person common singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD; I flee to You for refuge. |
| KJV | Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. |
| ASV | Deliver me, O Jehovah, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. |
| YLT | Deliver me from mine enemies, O Jehovah, Near Thee I am covered. |
| WEB | Deliver me, Yahweh, from my enemies. I flee to you to hide me. |
| BBE | O Lord, take me out of the hands of my haters; my soul is waiting for you. |
Translations agree on the key terms in this verse, particularly in the plea for deliverance.
The structure presents a clear plea followed by the direction of trust, emphasizing the psalmist's reliance on God.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbכָּסָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 143:9
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Prayer for Deliverancegenerated
Psalms 143:9 expresses a deep plea for rescue from enemies, highlighting the psalmist's reliance on God for safety. This verse is part of a larger prayer where the psalmist seeks guidance and support from the Lord, reflecting a relationship built on trust and dependence, as seen in the preceding and following verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 34:2–4 | My soul boasts in the LORD; let the oppressed hear and rejoice. |
| 2 | Psalm 56:9 | Then my enemies will retreat on the day I cry for help. By this I will know that God is on my side. |
| 3 | Psalm 61:3–4 | For You have been my refuge, a tower of strength against the enemy. |
| 4 | Psalm 142:5 | I cry to You, O LORD: “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” |
| 5 | Proverbs 18:10 | The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הַצִּילֵ֖נִי, ha.tzi.Le.nigenerated
The word הַצִּילֵ֖נִי (ha.tzi.Le.ni) is a hiphil imperative form of the root נָצַל (natsal), meaning 'to rescue' or 'to snatch away'. It conveys an urgent request for deliverance from danger, emphasizing the need for immediate action.
This form indicates a command directed at God, showing the psalmist's faith that God has the power to deliver. The use of the imperative highlights the intensity of the plea, as the psalmist seeks not just any help, but a specific rescue from adversaries.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, the verse is examined in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses deliver for הַצִּילֵ֖נִי.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is הַצִּילֵ֖נִי (deliver me), which governs the entire plea. The structure includes a direct address to God and a prepositional phrase that indicates the source of danger, followed by a declaration of trust.
The order of the Hebrew words places emphasis on the urgency of the plea, with the verb coming first, signaling the primary focus on the need for deliverance.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates הַצִּילֵ֖נִי as σὲ (se), indicating a direct appeal to God for help. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the psalmist's urgent need for divine intervention.
The Greek rendering captures the essence of the Hebrew plea, maintaining the focus on deliverance and refuge.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 143:9 is a prayer where the psalmist asks the Lord to rescue him from his enemies and expresses his trust in God as his refuge. It highlights a deep reliance on God's protection in times of trouble.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The term 'enemies' refers to those who oppose or hate the psalmist, representing both personal and national adversaries.
Fleeing to God signifies seeking safety and protection, as He is seen as the ultimate source of help in times of distress.
Yahweh is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His commitment to His people and His role as protector.
The psalmist's urgent plea for deliverance shows a deep trust in God's ability to save and protect him from harm.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what situations have I sought refuge in God, and how has He provided for me?
- How can I better understand the nature of my enemies and the challenges I face?
- What does it mean to me to call on God as my refuge in times of trouble?
- How can I apply the psalmist's example of seeking God's help in my own life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo references this verse to illustrate the psalmist's shift from fleeing from God to seeking refuge in Him.
"Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord, for unto You have I fled for refuge" [Psalms 143:9]. I who once fled from You, now flee to You.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 143 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 143:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleDeliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies,.... Either Saul and his courtiers, or Absalom and the conspirators along with him; who were many, and lively and strong, stronger than he; and therefore God
Read John Gill on Psalms 143 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryDeliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 143 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWithout whose care these caves and rocks can give me no protection.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 143 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 143:9 Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.Ver. 9. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies] Deliverance from enemies is a fruit of our friendship with God.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 143 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9) I flee . . .—Literally, unto thee have I hidden. A phrase which has been variously explained—(1) to Thee I have confided my troubles: (2) and, better, as in the Authorised Version, to Thee I (have fled and) hid (myself). The reflexive use of the Hebrew verb is sufficiently established by Genesis 38:14; Deuteronomy 22:12 (Jonah 3:6 is doubtful).
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 143 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 9. I flee unto thee to hide me.] That I may not be found by my enemies, who seek my life to destroy it.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 143 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges9. Deliver me … from mine enemies] As Psalms 59:1; cp. Psalms 31:15; Psalms 142:6. I flee unto thee to hide me] The general sense is probably right, though it can hardly be got out of the present text. The Heb. verb denotes to cover or conceal, but not to hide (intransitively). Some commentators suppose that unto thee have I covered may mean ‘unto thee have I secretly confided my cause’: others think that it may bear the sense given by the A.V. Neither explanation is satisfactory, and probably we should read, with the change of a single letter (ηρηι for λρηι), unto thee have I fled for refuge. So the LXX πρόςσεκατέφυγον.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 143 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleDeliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies - See the notes at Psalms 69:14.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 143 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD; I flee to You for refuge.
Deliver me, Yahweh, from my enemies. I flee to you to hide me.
Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD; I flee to You for refuge.
Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord! I run to you for protection.
Tyndale line
Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
Deliver me, O Jehovah, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies: I flee to thee to hide me.
Deliuer me, O Lord, from mine enemies: for I hid me with thee.
Strictly literal
Deliver me, O Jehovah, from mine enemies: unto thee do I flee for refuge.
Deliver me from mine enemies, O Jehovah, Near Thee I am covered.
Deliver me from my enemies, O YHWH, || Near You I am covered.
Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies: by thee do I seek shelter.
Rescue me from my enemies, Yahweh; I flee to you to hide.
From the Latin
To thee, O God, I will sing a new canticle: on the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings I will sing praises to thee.
Simplified
Save me from those who hate me, Lord—I run to you for protection.
O Lord, take me out of the hands of my haters; my soul is waiting for you.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of Psalms 143:9, with all five Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This consistency supports the integrity of the text across traditions.
הַצִּילֵ֖נִי מֵאֹיְבַ֥י׀ יְהוָ֗ה אֵלֶ֥יךָ כִסִּֽתִי׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 143:9
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word נָצַל (natsal) is built from a primitive root meaning to snatch away, with various usages across different stems. It covers a range of meanings including to rescue, deliver, plunder, and strip. The word appears in contexts of delivering oneself or being delivered, as well as rescuing from enemies or sin.
[נָצַל] 212 vb. not in Qal; Pi. strip, plunder; Niph. deliver oneself, be delivered Hiph. snatch away, deliver
Niph.
reflex. tear oneself away, deliver oneself
passive, be torn out or away
Pi.
strip off, spoil
deliver
Hiph.
take away, snatch away
rescue, recover
deliver from
deliver from sin and guilt
Hoph. as a brand plucked out of the burning
Hithp. and they stripped themselves of their ornaments.
base
H5337 נָצַל not in Qal; Pi. strip, plunder; Niph. deliver oneself, be delivered Hiph. snatch away, deliver
5337 natsal naw-tsal'
a primitive root; to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad
sense:- X at all, defend, deliver (self), escape, X without
fail, part, pluck, preserve, recover, rescue, rid, save,
spoil, strip, X surely, take (out).
נָצַל (na.tsal) — to rescue.
1) to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder
1a)(Niphal)
1a1) to tear oneself away, deliver oneself
1a2) to be torn out or away, be delivered
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to strip off, spoil
1b2) to deliver
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to take away, snatch away
1c2) to rescue, recover
1c3) to deliver (from enemies or troubles or death)
1c4) to deliver from sin and guilt
1d) (Hophal) to be plucked out
1e) (Hithpael) to strip oneself
Aramaic equivalent: ne.tsal (נְצַל "to rescue" H5338)
V-Hiphil-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVhv2ms/Sp1bs
אֹיֵב (oyeb) means 'enemy' or 'foe,' indicating hostility. It can refer to personal or national adversaries. The word is derived from the active participle of another root, אָיַב (ayab), which also conveys the sense of being hostile.
[אָיַב] 283 vb. be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)
base
H341 אָיַב be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)
341 'oyeb o-yabe'
or (fully) owyeb {o-yabe'}; active participle of 340;
hating; an adversary:--enemy, foe.
see HEBREW for 0340
אֹיֵב (o.yev) — enemy.
1) (Qal) enemy
1a) personal
1b) national
Prep | V-Qal | Suff — Preposition · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHR/Vqrmpc/Sp1bs
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.
אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),
prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place
Where the limit is actually entered, into
Of direction towards anything
Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
Of rule or standard according to (rare)
Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
base
H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place
. Where the limit is actually entered, into
. Of direction towards anything
. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
. Of rule or standard according to (rare)
. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
413 'el ale
(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});
a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but
occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or
among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,
against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,
by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,
over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,
with(-in).
אֶל (el) — to(wards).
1) to, toward, unto (of motion)
2) into (limit is actually entered)
2a) in among
3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)
4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)
5) in addition to, to
6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of
7) according to (rule or standard)
8) at, by, against (of one's presence)
9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word כָּסָה (*kacah*) primarily means to cover or conceal. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to clothe, hide, or overwhelm. The entries describe various forms of the verb, such as being covered or covering oneself, and its use in contexts like protection or sin. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[כָּסָה] vb. cover
Qal
conceal
pass. (cstr.) covered in respect of sin (by God, which he thus puts out of sight)
Niph. covered
Pi.
cover, clothe
cover, conceal blood
cover (with covering of protection)
cover, spread over
cover, overwhelm
cover over
Pual.
be covered
be clothed
Hithp. cover, clothe oneself
base
H3680 כָּסָה cover .. conceal
. pass. (cstr.) covered in respect of sin (by God, which he thus puts out of sight)
. covered
. . cover, clothe
. cover, conceal blood
. cover (with covering of protection)
. cover, spread over
. cover, overwhelm
. cover over
. . be covered
. be clothed
. cover, clothe oneself
3680 kacah kaw-saw'
a primitive root; properly, to plump, i.e. fill up hollows;
by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy):--clad
self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide,
overwhelm. Compare 3780.
see HEBREW for 03780
כָּסָה (ka.sah) — to cover.
1) to cover, conceal, hide
1a) (Qal) conceal, covered (participle)
1b) (Niphal) to be covered
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to cover, clothe
1c2) to cover, conceal
1c3) to cover (for protection)
1c4) to cover over, spread over
1c5) to cover, overwhelm
1d) (Pual)
1d1) to be covered
1d2) to be clothed
1e) (Hithpael) to cover oneself, clothe oneself
V-Piel-Perf-1cs — Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singularHVpp1cs
