< Psalms 144 >
1 [A Psalm] of David. Blessed be Jehovah my rock, who teacheth my hands to war, my fingers to fight;
Of David. Blest be the Lord my rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for fighting.
2 My mercy and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I trust, who subdueth my people 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 Jehovah, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him, the son of man, that thou takest thought of him?
Lord, what are mortals that you care for them, humans, that you think of them?
4 Man is like to vanity; his days are as a shadow that passeth away.
They are like a breath, their days as a shadow that passes.
5 Jehovah, bow thy heavens, and come down; touch the mountains, that they smoke;
Lord, bow your heavens and come down: touch the hills, so that they smoke.
6 Cast forth lightnings, and scatter them; send forth thine arrows, and discomfit them:
Flash forth lightning and scatter them, your arrows send forth and confound them.
7 Stretch out thy hands from above; rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of aliens,
Stretch out your hand from on high; pluck me out of the mighty waters, out of the hands of foreigners,
8 Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
who speak with the mouth of falsehood, and lift their right hand to swear lies.
9 O God, I will sing a new song unto thee; with the ten-stringed lute will I sing psalms unto thee:
O God, a new song I would sing you, on a ten-stringed harp make you music.
10 Who givest salvation unto kings; who rescuest David thy servant from the hurtful sword.
For to kings you give the victory, and David your servant you save.
11 Rescue me, and deliver me from the hand of aliens, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their 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 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; our daughters as corner-columns, sculptured after the fashion of a palace:
May our sons in their youth be as plants well tended: our daughters like cornices carved as in palaces.
13 Our granaries full, affording all manner of store; our sheep bringing forth thousands, ten thousands in our pastures;
May our barns be bursting with produce of all kinds. In the fields may our sheep bear by thousands and ten thousands.
14 Our kine laden [with young]; no breaking in and no going forth, 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 the people that is in such a case! Blessed the people whose God is Jehovah!
Happy the people who fares so well: and so fares the people whose God is the Lord.