Psalm 144
Young's Literal Translation
144 By David. Blessed [is] Jehovah my rock, who is teaching My hands for war, my fingers for battle.
2 My kind one, and my bulwark, My tower, and my deliverer, My shield, and in whom I have trusted, Who is subduing my people under me!
3 Jehovah, what [is] man that Thou knowest him? Son of man, that Thou esteemest him?
4 Man to vanity hath been like, His days [are] as a shadow passing by.
5 Jehovah, incline Thy heavens and come down, Strike against mountains, and they smoke.
6 Send forth lightning, and scatter them, Send forth Thine arrows, and trouble them,
7 Send forth Thy hand from on high, Free me, and deliver me from many waters, From the hand of sons of a stranger,
8 Because their mouth hath spoken vanity, And their right hand [is] a right hand of falsehood.
9 O God, a new song I sing to Thee, On a psaltery of ten strings I sing praise to Thee.
10 Who is giving deliverance to kings, Who is freeing David His servant from the sword of evil.
11 Free me, and deliver me From the hand of sons of a stranger, Because their mouth hath spoken vanity, And their right hand [is] a right hand of falsehood,
12 Because our sons [are] as plants, Becoming great in their youth, Our daughters as hewn stones, Polished -- the likeness of a palace,
13 Our garners [are] full, bringing out from kind to kind, Our flocks are bringing forth thousands, Ten thousands in our out-places,
14 Our oxen are carrying, there is no breach, And there is no outgoing, And there is no crying in our broad places.
15 O the happiness of the people that is thus, O the happiness of the people whose God [is] Jehovah!
Psalm 144
New King James Version
A Song to the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People
A Psalm of David.
144 Blessed be the Lord my Rock,
(A)Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
2 My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues [a]my people under me.
3 (B)Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
4 (C)Man is like a breath;
(D)His days are like a passing shadow.
5 (E)Bow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
(F)Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6 (G)Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
7 Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
8 Whose mouth (H)speaks [b]lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9 I will (I)sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 The One who gives [c]salvation to kings,
(J)Who delivers David His servant
From the deadly sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood—
12 That our sons may be (K)as plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as [d]pillars,
Sculptured in palace style;
13 That our barns may be full,
Supplying all kinds of produce;
That our sheep may bring forth thousands
And ten thousands in our fields;
14 That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no [e]breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.
15 (L)Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!
Footnotes
- Psalm 144:2 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; Syr., Tg. the peoples (cf. 18:47)
- Psalm 144:8 empty or worthless
- Psalm 144:10 deliverance
- Psalm 144:12 corner pillars
- Psalm 144:14 Lit. breach
Psalm 144
English Standard Version
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;
2 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.
3 O Lord, (H)what is man that you (I)regard him,
    or the son of man that you think of him?
4 (J)Man is like a breath;
    his days are like (K)a passing (L)shadow.
5 (M)Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down!
    (N)Touch the mountains so that they smoke!
6 (O)Flash forth the lightning and scatter them;
    (P)send out your arrows and rout them!
7 (Q)Stretch out your hand from on high;
    (R)rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,
    from the hand (S)of foreigners,
8 whose mouths speak (T)lies
    and whose right hand is (U)a right hand of falsehood.
9 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
- Psalm 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people
- Psalm 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out
Psalm 144
International Standard Version
Davidic
A Song for God’s Provision
144 Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
    who trains my hands for battle
        and my fingers for warfare,
2 he is my gracious love and my fortress,
    my strong tower and my deliverer,
my shield and the one in whom I find refuge,
    who subdues[a] peoples[b] under me.
3 Lord, what are human beings,
    that you should care about them,
or mortal man,
    that you should think about him?
4 The human person is a mere empty breath;
    his days are like a fading shadow.
5 Bow your heavens, Lord, and descend;[c]
    touch the mountains, and they will smolder.
6 Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy,[d]
    shoot your arrows and confuse them.
7 Reach down your hand from your high place;
    rescue me and deliver me from mighty waters,
        from the control of foreigners.[e]
8 Their mouths speak lies,
    and their right hand deceives,[f]
9 God, I will sing a new song to you.
    On a harp of ten strings I will play to you—
10 to you who gives victory to kings,
    rescuing his servant David from cruel swords.
11 Rescue me and deliver me
    from the control of foreigners,[g]
whose mouths speak lies,
    and whose right hand deceives.[h]
12 May our sons in their youth be like full-grown plants,
    and our daughters like pillars
        destined to decorate a palace.
13 May our granaries be filled,
    storing produce in abundance;
may our sheep bring forth thousands,
    even tens of thousands in our fields.
14 May our cattle grow heavy with young,
    with no damage or loss.
May there be no cry of anguish in our streets!
15 Happy are the people to whom these things come;
    happy are the people whose God is the Lord.
Footnotes
- Psalm 144:2 So LXX; the Heb. lacks subdues
- Psalm 144:2 So DSS 11QPsa Sebir Aquila Syr Targ Hieronymus; cf. Psa 18:48; 2 Sam 22:48; LXX reads subdues my people
- Psalm 144:5 So MT (imperfect verb); LXX, DSS 11QPsa read and descend!; i.e. a verb of command
- Psalm 144:6 Lit. scatter them
- Psalm 144:7 Lit. the hand of the sons of strangers
- Psalm 144:8 I.e. they swear to false oaths
- Psalm 144:11 Lit. the hand of the sons of strangers
- Psalm 144:11 I.e. they swear to false oaths
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
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