< Psalms 144 >
1 BLESSED be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
[A Psalm] of David concerning Goliad. Blessed [be] the Lord my God, who instructs my hands for battle, [and] my fingers for war.
2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
My mercy, and my refuge; my helper, and my deliverer; my protector, in whom I have trusted; who subdues my people under me.
3 Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
Lord, what is man, that thou art made known to him? or the son of man, that thou takest account of him?
4 Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.
Man is like to vanity: his days pass as a shadow.
5 Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
O Lord, bow thy heavens, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6 Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.
Send lightning, and thou shalt scatter them: send forth thine arrows, and thou shalt discomfit them.
7 Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;
Send forth thine hand from on high; rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hand of strange children;
8 Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
whose mouth has spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity.
9 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
O God, I will sing a new song to thee: I will play to thee on a psaltery of ten strings.
10 It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
[Even] to him who gives salvation to kings: who redeems his servant David from the hurtful sword.
11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:
Deliver me, and rescue me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth has spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity;
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:
whose children are as plants, strengthened in their youth: their daughters are beautiful, sumptuously adorned after the similitude of a temple.
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:
Their garners are full, and bursting with one kind of store after another; their sheep are prolific, multiplying in their streets.
14 That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.
Their oxen are fat: there is no falling down of a hedge, nor going out, nor cry in their folds.
15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.
Men bless the people to whom this lot belongs, [but] blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.