Psalms 144

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[1]David blesseth God for his merciful protection: [3]he admireth his care for vain man: [5]he prayeth God by power to complete his deliverance: [9]he promiseth to praise God: [11]he prayeth for his kingdom's happiness under God's favour.

A Psalm of David.

1. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

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.

3. Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!

4. Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

5. Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

6. Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.

7. Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;

8. Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

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.

10. It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant 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:

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:

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:

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.

15. Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.

Metrical version

Psalm 144

C.M. St. Peter

O blessed ever be the LORD,
who is my strength and might,
Who doth instruct my hands to war,
my fingers teach to fight.

My goodness, fortress, my high tower,
deliverer, and shield,
In whom I trust: who under me
my people makes to yield.

LORD, what is man, that thou of him
dost so much knowledge take?
Or son of man, that thou of him
so great account dost make?

Man is like vanity; his days,
as shadows, pass away.
LORD, bow thy heav'ns, come down, touch thou
the hills, and smoke shall they.

Cast forth thy lightning, scatter them;
thine arrows shoot, them rout.
Thine hand send from above, me save;
from great depths draw me out;

And from the hand of children strange,
Whose mouth speaks vanity;
And their right hand is a right hand
that works deceitfully.

A new song I to thee will sing,
Lord, on a psaltery;
I on a ten-stringed instrument
will praises sing to thee.

Ev'n he it is that unto kings
salvation doth send;
Who his own servant David doth
from hurtful sword defend.

O free me from strange children's hand,
whose mouth speaks vanity;
And their right hand a right hand is
that works deceitfully.

That, as the plants, our sons may be
in youth grown up that are;
Our daughters like to corner-stones,
carved like a palace fair.

That to afford all kind of store
our garners may be filled;
That our sheep thousands, in our streets
ten thousands they may yield.

That strong our oxen be for work,
that no in-breaking be,
Nor going out; and that our streets
may from complaints be free.

Those people blessed are who be
in such a case as this;
Yea, blessed all those people are,
whose God JEHOVAH is.