Psalm 144
Expanded Bible
A Prayer for Victory
Of David.
144 ·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord, my Rock [61:2],
who trains ·me [L my hands] for war,
who trains ·me [L my fingers] for battle.
2 ·He protects me like a strong, walled city, and he loves me [L He is my loyal one and my fortress].
He is my ·defender [stronghold] and my ·Savior [rescuer],
my shield ·and my protection [L in whom I find refuge].
He ·helps me keep my people under control [L subdues my people under me].
3 Lord, ·why are people important to you [L what are people that you care about them]?
·Why do you even think about human beings [L What are human beings that you think about them; 8:4]?
4 People are like ·a breath [vapor; 39:5, 11; 62:9; Eccl. 1:2];
their ·lives [L days] are like passing shadows [102:11; 109:23; Eccl. 6:12].
5 Lord, ·tear open [bend] the ·sky [heavens] and come down.
Touch the mountains so they will smoke [18:9; Ex. 19:11, 18–19].
6 Send the lightning and scatter ·my enemies [L them].
Shoot your arrows and ·force them away [rout them; 18:14].
7 ·Reach down [L Send forth your hand] from above.
·Save me [Set me free] and ·rescue [protect] me ·out of this sea of enemies [L from the mighty waters; C symbolizing chaos],
from ·these [L the hand/power of] foreigners.
8 ·They are liars [L Their mouths speak vanities/falsehood];
·they are dishonest [L their right hand is a false right hand].
9 God, I will sing a new song [C celebrating victory; 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 149:1; Is. 42:10; Rev. 5:9; 14:3] to you;
I will ·play [make a psalm] to you on the ten-stringed harp.
10 You give ·victory [salvation] to kings.
You ·save [set free] your servant David from ·cruel [evil] swords.
11 ·Save me [Set me free], ·rescue [protect] me from ·these [L the hand/power of the] foreigners.
·They are liars [L Their mouths speak vanities/falsehood]; ·they are dishonest [L their right hand is a false right hand].
12 Let our sons in their youth
·grow like plants [or be like full-grown plants; C robust and vital; 128:3].
Let our daughters be
like the ·decorated [cut] ·stones [or pillars] in the ·Temple [or palace; C stately and beautiful].
13 Let our barns be filled
with crops of all kinds.
Let our sheep in the fields have
thousands and tens of thousands of lambs.
14 Let our cattle be ·strong [well fed; or heavy with young].
Let ·no one break in [L there be no breach; or no miscarriage; C in the city walls].
Let there be no ·war [L going out; C in war or exile, or perhaps referring to premature birth],
no screams in our ·streets [public areas].
15 ·Happy [Blessed] are ·those [L the people] who are like this;
·happy [blessed] are the people whose God is the Lord.
Psalm 144
New American Standard Bible
Prayer for Rescue and Prosperity.
A Psalm of David.
144 Blessed be the Lord, (A)my rock,
Who (B)trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle;
2 My faithfulness and (C)my fortress,
My (D)stronghold and my savior,
My (E)shield and He in whom I take refuge,
Who (F)subdues [a]my people under me.
3 Lord, (G)what is man, that You look after him?
Or a son of man, that You think of him?
4 (H)Man is like the breath;
His (I)days are like a passing shadow.
5 (J)Bend down Your heavens, Lord, and (K)come down;
(L)Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
6 Flash forth (M)lightning and scatter them;
Send out Your (N)arrows and confuse them.
7 Reach out with Your hand (O)from on high;
Rescue me and (P)save me from great waters,
From the hand of (Q)foreigners
8 Whose mouths (R)speak deceit,
And whose (S)right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9 God, I will sing a (T)new song to You;
On a (U)harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 Who (V)gives salvation to kings,
Who (W)rescues His servant David from the evil sword.
11 Rescue me and save me from the hand of (X)foreigners,
Whose mouth (Y)speaks deceit
And whose (Z)right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
12 When our sons in their youth are like (AA)growing plants,
And our daughters like (AB)corner pillars [b]fashioned for a palace,
13 Our (AC)granaries are full, providing every kind of produce,
And our flocks deliver thousands and ten thousands in our [c]fields;
14 May our (AD)cattle [d]be bred
Without [e](AE)mishap and without [f](AF)loss,
May there be no (AG)outcry in our streets!
15 Blessed are the people who are so situated;
(AH)Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!
Footnotes
- Psalm 144:2 Another reading is peoples
- Psalm 144:12 Lit cut after the pattern of
- Psalm 144:13 Lit outside
- Psalm 144:14 Lit be laden
- Psalm 144:14 Lit breach
- Psalm 144:14 Lit going out; i.e., miscarriage
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
