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Psalm 144

Prayer for National Deliverance and Security

Of David.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
    who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle,(A)
my rock[a] and my fortress,
    my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues the peoples[b] under me.(B)

O Lord, what are humans that you regard them,
    or mortals that you think of them?(C)
They are like a breath;
    their days are like a passing shadow.(D)

Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
    touch the mountains so that they smoke.(E)
Make the lightning flash and scatter them;
    send out your arrows and rout them.(F)
Stretch out your hand from on high;
    set me free and rescue me from the mighty waters,
    from the hand of foreigners,(G)
whose mouths speak lies
    and whose right hands are false.(H)

I will sing a new song to you, O God;
    upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,(I)
10 the one who gives victory to kings,
    who rescues his servant David.(J)
11 Rescue me from the cruel sword,
    and deliver me from the hand of aliens,
whose mouths speak lies,
    and whose right hands are false.(K)

12 May our sons in their youth
    be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars,
    cut for the building of a palace.(L)
13 May our barns be filled
    with produce of every kind;
may our sheep increase by thousands,
    by tens of thousands in our fields,
14     and may our cattle be heavy with young.
May there be no breach in the walls,[c] no exile,
    and no cry of distress in our streets.

15 Happy are the people to whom such blessings fall;
    happy are the people whose God is the Lord.(M)

Footnotes

  1. 144.2 Cn: Heb my steadfast love
  2. 144.2 Q ms Heb mss Syr Aquila Jerome: MT my people
  3. 144.14 Heb lacks in the walls

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