Psalms 144:1-11

1 By David: Blessed be ADONAI, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.

2 He shows me grace; and he is my fortress, my stronghold, in whom I find shelter, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me.

3 ADONAI, what are mere mortals, that you notice them at all; humans, that you think about them?

4 Man is like a puff of wind, his days like a fleeting shadow.

5 ADONAI, lower the heavens, and come down; touch the mountains, make them pour out smoke.

6 Shoot out lightning, and scatter them; send out your arrows, and rout them.

7 Reach out your hands from on high; rescue me; save me out of deep water, out of the power of strangers,

8 whose mouths speak worthless words and whose right hands swear false oaths.

9 God, I will sing a new song to you; sing praises to you with a ten-stringed harp.

10 You give kings their victories; you save your servant David from the cruel sword.

11 Rescue me, save me from the power of strangers, whose mouths speak worthless words and whose right hands swear false oaths.

Psalms 144:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 144

\\<>\\. This psalm was written by David; not on account of the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, by a spirit of prophecy, as Theodoret; but on his own account, after he was come to the throne, and was king over all Israel; and was delivered from the was between him and Israel, and from the war of the Philistines, as Kimchi observes, having gained two victories over them: or it was written between the two victories, and before he had conquered all his enemies; since he prays to be delivered from the hand of strange children, Ps 144:7,11. R. Obadiah thinks it was written on the account of his deliverance from Absalom and Sheba; but the former is best. Some copies of the Septuagint, and also the Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions, have in their titles these words, ``against Goliath;'' and so Apollinarius; as if it was written on account of his combat with him, and victory over him; but this clause is not in the Hebrew Bibles; nor could Theodoret find it in the Septuagint in the Hexapla in his time. The Syriac inscription is still more foreign to the purpose, ``a psalm of David, when he slew Asaph the brother of Goliath.'' R. Saadiah Gaon interprets this psalm of the times of the Messiah; and there are several things in it which are applicable to him.