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144 Blessed be the Lord my strength, who 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 notice of him? Or the son of man that Thou makest account of him?

Man is like 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; rescue me and deliver me out of great waters from the hand of strangers,

whose mouth speaketh vanity and whose 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 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of strangers, whose mouth speaketh vanity and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood,

12 that our sons may be as plants full grown in their youth, that our daughters may be as cornerstones, 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 labor, that there be no breaking in, nor going out, that there be no complaining in our streets.

15 Happy is that people for whom such is the case; yea, happy is that people whose God is the Lord.

Prayer for rescue. A happy people described.

A Psalm of David.

144 Blessed be Jehovah my rock,
Who teacheth my hands to war,
And my fingers to fight:
My lovingkindness, and my fortress,
My high tower, and my deliverer;
My shield, and he in whom I take refuge;
Who subdueth my people under me.
Jehovah, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that thou makest account of him?
Man is like to [a]vanity:
His days are as a shadow that passeth away.
Bow thy heavens, O Jehovah, and come down:
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
Cast forth lightning, and scatter them;
Send out thine arrows, and discomfit them.
Stretch forth thy hand from above;
Rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters,
Out of the hand of aliens;
Whose mouth speaketh deceit,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
I will sing a new song unto thee, O God:
Upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
10 Thou art he that giveth salvation unto kings;
Who rescueth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
11 Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hand of aliens,
Whose mouth speaketh deceit,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12 When our sons shall be as plants grown up in their youth,
And our daughters as corner-stones hewn after the fashion 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 fields;
14 When our oxen are well laden;
When there is no breaking in, and no [b]going forth,
And no outcry in our streets:
15 Happy is the people that is in such a case;
Yea, happy is the people whose God is Jehovah.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 144:4 Hebrew a breath.
  2. Psalm 144:14 Or, sallying

Psalm 144

Of David.

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,(A)
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress,(B)
    my stronghold(C) and my deliverer,
my shield,(D) in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples[a](E) under me.

Lord, what are human beings(F) that you care for them,
    mere mortals that you think of them?
They are like a breath;(G)
    their days are like a fleeting shadow.(H)

Part your heavens,(I) Lord, and come down;(J)
    touch the mountains, so that they smoke.(K)
Send forth lightning(L) and scatter(M) the enemy;
    shoot your arrows(N) and rout them.
Reach down your hand from on high;(O)
    deliver me and rescue me(P)
from the mighty waters,(Q)
    from the hands of foreigners(R)
whose mouths are full of lies,(S)
    whose right hands(T) are deceitful.(U)

I will sing a new song(V) to you, my God;
    on the ten-stringed lyre(W) I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings,(X)
    who delivers his servant David.(Y)

From the deadly sword(Z) 11 deliver me;
    rescue me(AA) from the hands of foreigners(AB)
whose mouths are full of lies,(AC)
    whose right hands are deceitful.(AD)

12 Then our sons in their youth
    will be like well-nurtured plants,(AE)
and our daughters will be like pillars(AF)
    carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns will be filled(AG)
    with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
    by tens of thousands in our fields;
14     our oxen(AH) will draw heavy loads.[b]
There will be no breaching of walls,(AI)
    no going into captivity,
    no cry of distress in our streets.(AJ)
15 Blessed is the people(AK) of whom this is true;
    blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 144:2 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, Jerome and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text subdues my people
  2. Psalm 144:14 Or our chieftains will be firmly established