Psalm 144

1 Von David. Gepriesen sei der HERR, mein Fels,

I praise Yahweh, who is [like an overhanging] rock [under which I] ([get refuge/am protected])! He trains my hands so that I can use them to fight battles; he trains my fingers so that I can [shoot arrows in a war].

2 mein Wohltäter und meine Burg, meine Feste und mein Retter, mein Schild und der, auf den ich vertraue; Völker hat er mir unterworfen!

He is the one who protects me; he is [like] a fortress [DOU] in which I am safe, he protects me [like] [protect soldiers] [MET], and he gives me refuge. He defeats [other] nations and [then] puts them under my power.

3 HERR, was ist der Mensch, daß du ihn beachtest, des Menschen Sohn, daß du seiner gedenkst?

Yahweh, [we] people are [very insignificant/unimportant], so why (are you concerned/do you care about us) [RHQ]? [It is amazing to me that] you pay attention to humans.

4 Der Mensch gleicht einem Hauch, seine Tage sind wie ein Schatten, der vorüberfliegt.

[The time that we live is as short] as [SIM] a puff of wind; our time to live disappears like a shadow does.

5 HERR, neige deinen Himmel und fahre herab, rühre die Berge an, daß sie rauchen!

Yahweh, (tear open/open up) the sky and come down! Touch the mountains in order that smoke will pour out from them!

6 Schleudre Blitze und zerstreue sie, schieß deine Pfeile ab und laß sie zerstieben!

Cause lightning to flash with the result that [your enemies] will run away! Shoot your arrows [at them] and cause them to (run away/scatter).

7 Strecke deine Hände aus der Höhe herab, reiß mich heraus und rette mich aus gewaltigen Fluten, aus der Hand der Söhne der Fremde,

[It is as though my enemies surround me like] a flood; reach your hand down from heaven and rescue me from them [SYN]. They are men from other countries

8 deren Lippen Lügen reden und deren Rechte mit Täuschung umgeht.

who [SYN] [always] tell lies. [Even in a courtroom where they swear to tell the truth] they tell lies.

9 Gott, ein neues Lied will (alsdann) ich dir singen, auf zehnsaitiger Harfe dir spielen:

God, I will sing a new song to you, and I will play my ten-stringed harp [while I sing] to you.

10 dir, der den Königen Sieg verleiht, der David, seinen Knecht, entrissen dem mörderischen Schwert.

You enable kings to defeat [their enemies]; and you rescued me, your servant David, from [being killed by] my enemies’ swords.

11 Reiß mich heraus und rette mich aus der Hand der Söhne der Fremde, deren Lippen Lügen reden und deren Rechte mit Täuschung umgeht! –

[So I ask you to] save me from [being killed by] the swords [that those] evil [people carry]. Rescue me from the power [MTY] of those foreigners who [SYN] [always] tell lies, and [who raise] their right hands [in courtrooms when they solemnly declare that they will tell the truth].

12 O gib, daß unsere Söhne in ihrer Jugendkraft hochgewachsenen Setzlingen gleichen! Daß unsre Töchter seien wie schöngemeißelte Ecksäulen an prächtig gebauten Palästen!

I wish/hope that our young sons will grow up to be like strong plants [SIM], and I wish/hope that our daughters will [grow up to] be [straight and tall] like the pillars [SIM] that stand in the corners of palaces.

13 Daß unsre Speicher, wohlgefüllt, spenden einen Vorrat nach dem andern! Daß unser Kleinvieh sich tausendfach mehre, zehntausendfach auf unsern Triften!

I wish/hope that our barns will be full of many different crops. I wish/hope that the sheep in our fields will give birth to tens of thousands of baby lambs.

14 Daß unsre Rinder trächtig seien ohne Mißgeschick und ohne Fehlgeburt, keine Spaltung im Volk und kein Wehgeschrei auf unsern Straßen!

I wish/hope that our cows will give birth to many calves without having any miscarriages or deaths when they are born (OR, that no enemies will break through our city walls and take us (into exile/to their own countries)). I wish/hope that [there will not be a time when the people in] our streets cry out in distress [because foreign armies are invading].

15 Glückselig das Volk, dem es so ergeht! Glückselig das Volk, dessen Gott der HERR ist!

If good things like that happen to a nation, the people will be very happy. The people whose God is Yahweh are the ones who will be happy!