Psalms 144
1 A Psalm of David versus Goliath. Blessed is the Lord, my God, who trains my hands for the battle and my fingers for the war.
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:
2 My mercy and my refuge, my supporter and my deliverer, my protector and him in whom I have hoped: he subdues my people under me.
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.
3 O Lord, what is man that you have become known to him? Or the son of man that you consider him?
Lord, what is man, that you keep him in mind? or the son of man that you take him into account?
4 Man has been made similar to vanity. His days pass by like a shadow.
Man is like a breath: his life is like a shade which is quickly gone.
5 O Lord, incline your heavens and descend. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
Come down, O Lord, from your heavens: at your touch let the mountains give out smoke.
6 Send a flash of lightning, and you will scatter them. Shoot your arrows, and you will set them in disarray.
With your storm-flames send them in flight: send out your arrows for their destruction.
7 Send forth your hand from on high: rescue me, and free me from many waters, from the hand of the sons of foreigners.
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;
8 Their mouth has been speaking vain things, and their right hand is the right hand of iniquity.
In whose mouths are false words, and whose right hand is a right hand of deceit.
9 To you, O God, I will sing a new song. On the psaltery, with an instrument of ten strings, I will sing psalms to you.
I will make a new song to you, O God; I will make melody to you on an instrument of ten cords.
10 He gives salvation to kings. He has redeemed your servant David from the malignant sword.
It is God who gives salvation to kings; and who kept his servant David from the wounding sword.
11 Rescue me, and deliver me from the hand of the sons of foreigners. Their mouth has been speaking vain things, and their right hand is the right hand of iniquity.
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.
12 Their sons are like new plantings in their youth. Their daughters are dressed up: adorned all around like the idols of a temple.
Our sons are like tall young plants; and our daughters like the shining stones of a king's house;
13 Their cupboards are full: overflowing from one thing into another. Their sheep bear young, brought forth in abundance.
Our store-houses are full of all good things; and our sheep give birth to thousands and ten thousands in our fields.
14 Their cattle are fat. There is no ruined wall or passage, nor anyone crying out in their streets.
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.
15 They have called the people that has these things: blessed. But blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.
Happy is the nation whose ways are so ordered: yes, happy is the nation whose God is the Lord.
