Psalms 144

1 A Psalm. Of David. Praise be to the God of my strength, teaching my hands the use of the sword, and my fingers the art of fighting:

Of David. Blest be the Lord my rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for fighting.

2 He is my strength, and my Rock; my high tower, and my saviour; my keeper and my hope: he gives me authority over my people.

My rock and my fortress, my tower, my deliverer, my shield, behind whom I take refuge, who lays nations low at my feet.

3 Lord, what is man, that you keep him in mind? or the son of man that you take him into account?

Lord, what are mortals that you care for them, humans, that you think of them?

4 Man is like a breath: his life is like a shade which is quickly gone.

They are like a breath, their days as a shadow that passes.

5 Come down, O Lord, from your heavens: at your touch let the mountains give out smoke.

Lord, bow your heavens and come down: touch the hills, so that they smoke.

6 With your storm-flames send them in flight: send out your arrows for their destruction.

Flash forth lightning and scatter them, your arrows send forth and confound them.

7 Put out your hand from on high; make me free, take me safely out of the great waters, and out of the hands of strange men;

Stretch out your hand from on high; pluck me out of the mighty waters, out of the hands of foreigners,

8 In whose mouths are false words, and whose right hand is a right hand of deceit.

who speak with the mouth of falsehood, and lift their right hand to swear lies.

9 I will make a new song to you, O God; I will make melody to you on an instrument of ten cords.

O God, a new song I would sing you, on a ten-stringed harp make you music.

10 It is God who gives salvation to kings; and who kept his servant David from the wounding sword.

For to kings you give the victory, and David your servant you save.

11 Make me free, and take me out of the hands of strange men, in whose mouths are false words, and whose right hand is a right hand of deceit.

Snatch me from the cruel sword, rescue me from the hand of foreigners, who speak with the mouth of falsehood, and lift their right hand to swear lies.

12 Our sons are like tall young plants; and our daughters like the shining stones of a king's house;

May our sons in their youth be as plants well tended: our daughters like cornices carved as in palaces.

13 Our store-houses are full of all good things; and our sheep give birth to thousands and ten thousands in our fields.

May our barns be bursting with produce of all kinds. In the fields may our sheep bear by thousands and ten thousands.

14 Our oxen are well weighted down; our cows give birth safely; there is no going out, and there is no cry of sorrow in our open places.

May our cattle be fat, our walls unbreached, may no cry of distress ring in our streets.

15 Happy is the nation whose ways are so ordered: yes, happy is the nation whose God is the Lord.

Happy the people who fares so well: and so fares the people whose God is the Lord.