Psalm 144

A King’s Prayer

Of David.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock(A)
who trains my hands for battle
and my fingers for warfare.(B)
He is my faithful love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer.
He is my shield,(C) and I take refuge in him;(D)
he subdues my people[a] under me.(E)

Lord, what is a human that you care for him,
a son of man[b] that you think of him?(F)
A human is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow.(G)

Lord, part your heavens and come down.(H)
Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.(I)
Flash your lightning and scatter the foe;[c]
shoot your arrows and rout them.(J)
Reach down[d] from on high;(K)
rescue me from deep water, and set me free
from the grasp of foreigners(L)
whose mouths speak lies,
whose right hands are deceptive.(M)

God, I will sing a new song to you;
I will play on a ten-stringed harp for you(N)
10 the one who gives victory to kings,
who frees his servant David
from the deadly sword.(O)
11 Set me free and rescue me
from foreigners(P)
whose mouths speak lies,
whose right hands are deceptive.(Q)

12 Then our sons will be like plants
nurtured in their youth,
our daughters, like corner pillars
that are carved in the palace style.(R)
13 Our storehouses will be full,
supplying all kinds of produce;(S)
our flocks will increase by thousands
and tens of thousands in our open fields.(T)
14 Our cattle will be well fed.[e]
There will be no breach in the walls,
no going into captivity,[f]
and no cry of lament in our public squares.(U)
15 Happy are the people with such blessings.
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.(V)

Footnotes

  1. 144:2 Some Hb mss, DSS, Aq, Syr, Tg, Jer read subdues peoples; 2Sm 22:48; Ps 18:47
  2. 144:3 Or a mere mortal
  3. 144:6 Lit scatter them
  4. 144:7 Lit down your hands
  5. 144:14 Or will bear heavy loads, or will be pregnant
  6. 144:14 Or be no plague, no miscarriage

My Rock and My Fortress

Of David.

144 Blessed be the Lord, my (A)rock,
    (B)who trains my hands for war,
    and my fingers for battle;
he is my (C)steadfast love and my (D)fortress,
    my (E)stronghold and my deliverer,
my (F)shield and he in whom I take refuge,
    who (G)subdues peoples[a] under me.

O Lord, (H)what is man that you (I)regard him,
    or the son of man that you think of him?
(J)Man is like a breath;
    his days are like (K)a passing (L)shadow.

(M)Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down!
    (N)Touch the mountains so that they smoke!
(O)Flash forth the lightning and scatter them;
    (P)send out your arrows and rout them!
(Q)Stretch out your hand from on high;
    (R)rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,
    from the hand (S)of foreigners,
whose mouths speak (T)lies
    and whose right hand is (U)a right hand of falsehood.

I will sing (V)a new song to you, O God;
    upon (W)a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
10 who gives victory to kings,
    who (X)rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me
    from the hand (Y)of foreigners,
whose mouths speak (Z)lies
    and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12 May our sons in their youth
    be like (AA)plants full grown,
our daughters like (AB)corner pillars
    cut for the structure of a palace;
13 (AC)may our granaries be full,
    (AD)providing all kinds of produce;
may our sheep bring forth thousands
    and ten thousands in our fields;
14 may our cattle be heavy with young,
    suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;[b]
may there be no (AE)cry of distress in our streets!
15 (AF)Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!
    (AG)Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people
  2. Psalm 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out