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

Psalm 144

A psalm of David.

Praise the Lord, who is my rock.
    He trains my hands for war
    and gives my fingers skill for battle.
He is my loving ally and my fortress,
    my tower of safety, my rescuer.
He is my shield, and I take refuge in him.
    He makes the nations[a] submit to me.

O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them,
    mere mortals that you should think about them?
For they are like a breath of air;
    their days are like a passing shadow.

Open the heavens, Lord, and come down.
    Touch the mountains so they billow smoke.
Hurl your lightning bolts and scatter your enemies!
    Shoot your arrows and confuse them!
Reach down from heaven and rescue me;
    rescue me from deep waters,
    from the power of my enemies.
Their mouths are full of lies;
    they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.

I will sing a new song to you, O God!
    I will sing your praises with a ten-stringed harp.
10 For you grant victory to kings!
    You rescued your servant David from the fatal sword.
11 Save me!
    Rescue me from the power of my enemies.
Their mouths are full of lies;
    they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.

12 May our sons flourish in their youth
    like well-nurtured plants.
May our daughters be like graceful pillars,
    carved to beautify a palace.
13 May our barns be filled
    with crops of every kind.
May the flocks in our fields multiply by the thousands,
    even tens of thousands,
14     and may our oxen be loaded down with produce.
May there be no enemy breaking through our walls,
    no going into captivity,
    no cries of alarm in our town squares.
15 Yes, joyful are those who live like this!
    Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 144:2 Some manuscripts read my people.

144 Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.

Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!

Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.

Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;

Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.

10 It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.

11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:

12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:

13 That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:

14 That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.

15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.

Psalm 144

[A Psalm] of David.

Blessed be the Lord, my Rock and my keen and firm Strength, Who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight—

My Steadfast Love and my Fortress, my High Tower and my Deliverer, my Shield and He in Whom I trust and take refuge, Who subdues my people under me.

Lord, what is man that You take notice of him? Or [the] son of man that You take account of him?(A)

Man is like vanity and a breath; his days are as a shadow that passes away.

Bow Your heavens, O Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

Cast forth lightning and scatter [my enemies]; send out Your arrows and embarrass and frustrate them.

Stretch forth Your hand from above; rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, from the hands of hostile aliens (tribes around us)

Whose mouths speak deceit and whose right hands are right hands [raised in taking] fraudulent oaths.

I will sing a new song to You, O God; upon a harp, an instrument of ten strings, will I offer praises to You.

10 You are He Who gives salvation to kings, Who rescues David His servant from the hurtful sword [of evil].

11 Rescue me and deliver me out of the power of [hostile] alien [tribes] whose mouths speak deceit and whose right hands are right hands [raised in taking] fraudulent oaths.

12 When our sons shall be as plants grown large in their youth and our daughters as sculptured corner pillars hewn like those of a palace;

13 When our garners are full, affording all manner of store, and our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our pastures;

14 When our oxen are well loaded; when there is no invasion [of hostile armies] and no going forth [against besiegers—when there is no murder or manslaughter] and no outcry in our streets;

15 Happy and blessed are the people who are in such a case; yes, happy (blessed, fortunate, prosperous, to be envied) are the people whose God is the Lord!