< Psalms 144 >

1 [By David.] Blessed be the LORD, my Rock, who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to battle:
Of David. Blest be the Lord my rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for fighting.
2 my loving kindness, my fortress, my high tower, my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I take refuge; who subdues peoples under me.
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 care for him? Or the son of man, that you think of him?
Lord, what are mortals that you care for them, humans, that you think of them?
4 Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.
They are like a breath, their days as a shadow that passes.
5 Part your heavens, LORD, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
Lord, bow your heavens and come down: touch the hills, so that they smoke.
6 Throw out lightning, and scatter them. Send out your arrows, and rout them.
Flash forth lightning and scatter them, your arrows send forth and confound them.
7 Stretch out your hand from above, rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hands of foreigners;
Stretch out your hand from on high; pluck me out of the mighty waters, out of the hands of foreigners,
8 whose mouths speak deceit, Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
who speak with the mouth of falsehood, and lift their right hand to swear lies.
9 I will sing a new song to you, God. On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you.
O God, a new song I would sing you, on a ten-stringed harp make you music.
10 You are he who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword.
For to kings you give the victory, and David your servant you save.
11 Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners, whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
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 Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants, our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace.
May our sons in their youth be as plants well tended: our daughters like cornices carved as in palaces.
13 Our storehouses are full, filled with all kinds of provision. Our sheep bring forth 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 will pull heavy loads. There is no breaking in, and no going away, and no outcry in our streets.
May our cattle be fat, our walls unbreached, may no cry of distress ring in our streets.
15 Blessed are the people who are in such a situation. Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.
Happy the people who fares so well: and so fares the people whose God is the Lord.

< Psalms 144 >