Psalm 144

PSALM 144

A Psalm of David.

¹Blessed be the Lord, my rock,

who trains my hands for war,

and my fingers for battle;

²my rock and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer,

my shield and he in whom I take refuge,

who subdues the peoples under him.

³O Lord, what is man that thou dost regard him,

or the son of man that thou dost think of him?

⁴Man is like a breath,

his days are like a passing shadow.

⁵Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down!

Touch the mountains that they smoke!

⁶Flash forth the lightning and scatter them,

send out thy arrows and rout them!

⁷Stretch forth thy hand from on high,

rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,

from the hand of aliens,

⁸whose mouths speak lies,

and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

⁹I will sing a new song to thee, O God;

upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to thee,

¹⁰who givest victory to kings,

who rescuest David thy servant.

¹¹Rescue me from the cruel sword,

and deliver me from the hand of aliens,

whose mouths speak lies,

and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

¹²May our sons in their youth

be like plants full grown,

our daughters like corner pillars

cut for the structure of a palace;

¹³may our garners be full,

providing all manner of store;

may our sheep bring forth thousands

and ten thousands in our fields;

¹⁴may our cattle be heavy with young,

suffering no mischance or failure in bearing;

may there be no cry of distress in our streets!

¹⁵Happy the people to whom such blessings fall!

Happy the people whose God is the Lord!