Psalm 143 – Cause Me to Hear Your Covenant Love
Psalm 143 – Cause Me to Hear Your Covenant Love

Psalm 143 – Cause Me to Hear Your Covenant Love

Psalm 143 – Cause Me to Hear Your Covenant Love

In Psalm 143:1-7, the Psalmist is overwhelmed by life’s difficulties. Desperate times often strip away superficial religious pretense, allowing genuine prayer to flow from the depths of the heart. This is precisely what unfolds in the next three verses.

Psalm 143:8-10 beautifully expresses a prayer firmly rooted in God’s covenant. The word “lovingkindness” (v.8), translated as “unfailing love” (NIV, NLT) and “steadfast love” (ESV), is the Hebrew word “chesed,” a very rich word referring to God’s incredible covenant love and His unwavering faithfulness to that covenant. As seen below, the phrases, “cause me” and “teach me” echo promises found in the New Covenant, which Jesus mediated for us through His death, shed blood, and resurrection victory:

“Cause Me” (a New Covenant phrase)

Ezekiel 36:27
“I will put My Spirit within you and CAUSE YOU to walk in My statutes…”
Philippians 2:13
“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

“Teach Me” (a New Covenant phrase)

Jeremiah 31:33-34
“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” for they all shall know Me…”

John 14:26
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will TEACH YOU all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

1 John 2:27
“…the same anointing TEACHES YOU concerning all things…”

Psalm 143:8-10 shows us how to pray a covenant-based prayer. May He cause us to hear His Covenant Love every morning.


Dear Heavenly Father, I wholeheartedly embrace this Spirit-inspired, New Covenant prayer as my own.

• Psalm 143:8a – “CAUSE ME to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust.”

Jesus, as the Mediator of the New Covenant, Your “chesed” covenant love and mercies are fresh and new each morning, like the dew (Lamentations 3:22). When the day’s endless responsibilities beckon, distract and weigh me down, Your precious promises of New Covenant Love uplift and refresh my hope, recharging my faith. Truly, hearing Your “chesed” lovingkindness in the morning makes waking up worthwhile!


• Psalm 143:8b-9 – “CAUSE ME to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You. Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; in You I take shelter.”

Holy Spirit, You lead and guide me in the footsteps of Jesus, who is the Way (John 14:6; 16:13; Romans 8:1-14). “In You I take shelter,” and I trust You to “deliver me from my enemies” —the devil, the world, and even my own flesh— who deceptively place crossroads along the straight and “narrow” way that “leads to Life” (Matthew 7:14).

“I lift up my soul to You,” and ask You to enable me to hear Your “voice behind me” with increasing clarity, lovingly whispering, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever I mistakenly “turn to the right hand or…to the left” (Isaiah 30:21).


• Psalm 143:10 – “TEACH ME to do Your will, for You are my God. Your Spirit is good.”

Holy Spirit, You are my Teacher. Thank You for opening up the Word to reveal that God’s will for me is always “good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). Spirit, You also unveil my eyes to see how, in every Biblical narrative, God always makes “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Spirit of God, You are absolutely good! Not only do You teach me about God’s will, but You also empower me “to do” God’s will. You fill me with “the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that [I] may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power…” (Colossians 1:9-11).


Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I am profoundly grateful for the privilege of this Spirit-inspired, covenant-based prayer. Thank You for Your “chesed”  love that daily renews my hope, Your Spirit who guides my every step, and Your divine power that enables me to live out Your perfect will. May my life always bring You glory. Amen.

One comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *