Psalms 144
1 Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
A psalm of David. Praise the Lord—he is my rock. He trains me for battle, he gives me skill for war.
2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdues my people under me.
He is the one who faithfully loves me, protects me, and defends me. He is the one who rescues me, shields me from danger, and keeps me safe. He defeats nations and places them under my rule.
3 LORD, what is man, that you take knowledge of him! or the son of man, that you make account of him!
Lord, what are human beings that you should care about them? What are people that you should concern yourself with them?
4 Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passes away.
Humanity is like a breath; their lives are like a passing shadow.
5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
Part your heavens and come down. Touch the mountains so that they give off smoke.
6 Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out your arrows, and destroy them.
Scatter your enemies with flashes of lightning! Let your arrows fly and send them running in confusion!
7 Send your hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;
Stretch down your hand from heaven and set me free. Rescue me from raging waters, from the oppression of foreign enemies.
8 Whose mouth speaks vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
They are such liars, even telling lies under oath.
9 I will sing a new song to you, O God: on a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises to you.
God, I will sing a new song to you, accompanied by a ten-stringed harp,
10 It is he that gives salvation to kings: who delivers David his servant from the hurtful sword.
to you, the one who gives victory to kings. You saved your servant David from death by the sword.
11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaks vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:
Set me free. Rescue me from the oppression of foreign enemies. They are such liars, even telling lies under oath.
12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:
Then our sons will grow up like plants in their youth and become mature, and our daughters will be like beautiful pillars carved to support a palace.
13 That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:
Our storehouses will be full of all kinds of crops; our flocks of sheep will grow by thousands, increasing by tens of thousands in the pastures.
14 That our oxen may be strong to labor; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.
Our cattle will grow fat. No one will break down our city walls, there will be no exile, no cries of mourning in our town squares.
15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yes, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.
The people who live like this will be happy. Happy are those whose God is the Lord.
