143:5 I recall the old days; 1
I meditate on all you have done;
I reflect on your accomplishments. 2
143:6 I spread my hands out to you in prayer; 3
my soul thirsts for you in a parched 4 land. 5
1 tn Or “ancient times”; Heb “days from before.”
2 tn Heb “the work of your hands.”
3 tn The words “in prayer” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the psalmist is referring to a posture of prayer.
4 tn Heb “faint” or “weary.” See Ps 63:1.
5 tc Heb “my soul like a faint land for you.” A verb (perhaps “thirsts”) is implied (see Ps 63:1). The translation assumes an emendation of the preposition -כְּ (kÿ, “like”) to -בְּ (bÿ, “in,” see Ps 63:1; cf. NEB “athirst for thee in a thirsty land”). If the MT is retained, one might translate, “my soul thirsts for you, as a parched land does for water/rain” (cf. NIV, NRSV).