The Meaning of Psalms 143:4 Explained

Psalms 143:4

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

YLT: And my spirit in me is become feeble, Within me is my heart become desolate.

Darby: And my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

ASV: Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; My heart within me is desolate.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 143:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 143:1-12 - The Cry Of The Thirsty Soul
This psalm falls into four stanzas of three verses each. Complaint, Psalms 143:1-3. Though the enemy has resorted to unwarrantable violence, David realized that his past had been by no means immaculate. The holiest have least confidence in themselves, Job 9:3; Philippians 3:7. Bernard of Clairvaux said: "So far from being able to answer for my sins, I cannot answer even for my righteousness." There is no judgment or condemnation for those who are in Christ, because they were judged in Him. Now God's justice is on our side, 1 John 1:9.
Depression, Psalms 143:4-6. Those capable of the sunny heights are capable of the lowest depths. Memory, meditation, and musing often lead to melancholy. But reach out after God. To thirst for Him is to have Him. To desire is to possess. Entreaty, Psalms 143:7-9. Hear me; cause me to hear; cause me to know; deliver me. Docility, Psalms 143:10-12 : We can trust ourselves absolutely to be led by God's Spirit, because He is good and He brings the soul out of trouble into the land of uprightness, Romans 8:14. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Psalms 143:4 mean?

Therefore is overwhelmed within me my spirit within me is distressed My heart
וַתִּתְעַטֵּ֣ף עָלַ֣י רוּחִ֑י בְּ֝תוֹכִ֗י יִשְׁתּוֹמֵ֥ם לִבִּֽי

וַתִּתְעַטֵּ֣ף  Therefore  is  overwhelmed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: עָטוּף 
Sense: to turn aside.
עָלַ֣י  within  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
רוּחִ֑י  my  spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
בְּ֝תוֹכִ֗י  within  me 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
יִשְׁתּוֹמֵ֥ם  is  distressed 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמֵם  
Sense: to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy.
לִבִּֽי  My  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.