Psalms 144 WBT
Summary: A royal battle psalm of David opening "Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight" (v. 1), asking God to "bow thy heavens, and come down" and rescue him from deceitful foreign enemies. He reflects on human insignificance before such power — "LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him!... man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away" (v. 3-4) — before requesting prosperity: sons like well-grown plants, daughters like polished palace corner-stones, full garners, and thriving flocks. It closes with the declaration "Happy is that people, whose God is the LORD" (v. 15).
1[A Psalm] of David. Blessed [be] the LORD my strength, who teacheth my hands to war, [and] my fingers to fight;
2My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and [he] in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
3LORD, what [is] man, that thou takest knowledge of him! [or] the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
4Man is like to vanity: his days [are] as a shadow that passeth away.
5Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot thy arrows, and destroy them.
7Send thy hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;
8Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand [is] a right hand of falsehood.
9I will sing a new song to thee, O God: upon a psaltery [and] an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises to thee.
10[It is he] that giveth salvation to kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
11Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand [is] a right hand of falsehood:
12That 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 granaries [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.
15Happy [is that] people, that is in such a case: [yes], happy [is that] people, whose God [is] the LORD.
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