Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

PSALMS 143:10KJV
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Psalms 143:10 (KJV)

What does Psalms 143:10 mean?

Psalms 143:10 is a prayer where the speaker asks God to teach him how to do what pleases God, recognizing God as his own and trusting in God's good spirit to guide him to a life of integrity. The verse expresses a desire for God’s guidance and moral direction, seeking to be led into a way of living that is upright and honest.

King David is speaking to God in a time of trouble, asking for help to know and follow God’s will. David calls God “my God,” showing a personal relationship, and he trusts that God’s spirit is good and will lead him to a place or way of life marked by uprightness. The verse highlights dependence on God for both understanding and strength to live rightly.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 143:10

  • "Teach" (לָמַד, lamad, H3925) means to instruct or train, often with the sense of a teacher guiding a student. David is not just asking for information, but for ongoing instruction in how to live.
  • "Will" (רָצוֹן, ratson, H7522) refers to what is pleasing or desired by someone. Here, it is about what pleases God, not just a set of rules.
  • "Spirit" (רוּחַ, ruach, H7307) means breath, wind, or spirit. In this context, it points to God’s presence and active guidance, not just an impersonal force.
  • "Lead" (נָחָה, nachah, H5148) means to guide or direct, often with care. David is asking for more than just a push in the right direction; he wants God to walk with him and show the way.
  • "Uprightness" (מִישׁוֹר, mishor, H4334) means levelness, straightness, or fairness. It can refer to both a physical place and a way of life marked by honesty and justice.

Why Psalms 143:10 matters

  • Psalms 143:10 shows that doing God’s will is not automatic; even someone like David asks to be taught and led, which clears up the idea that faith always comes with instant understanding.
  • The verse emphasizes that God’s spirit is “good,” underlining that God’s guidance is trustworthy and kind, not harsh or arbitrary.
  • By asking to be led into “the land of uprightness,” David connects personal guidance with a broader hope for a life and community marked by fairness and integrity, tying this prayer to the larger themes of justice and righteousness in the Psalms.

Where else these words appear

“uprightness” Hebrew H4334 · used in 23 verses

  • Deuteronomy 3:10 All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, unto Salchah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
  • 1 Kings 20:23 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
  • Isaiah 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

“lead” Hebrew H5148 · used in 39 verses

  • Genesis 24:27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.
  • Nehemiah 9:19 Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.
  • Psalms 77:20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

“will” Hebrew H7522 · used in 56 verses

  • Genesis 49:6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
  • Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
  • Proverbs 14:9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

“Teach” Hebrew H3925 · used in 80 verses

  • Deuteronomy 4:1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.
  • Psalms 25:4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
  • Proverbs 30:3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.