Psalms 144:1-7

1 <> Blessed be the LORD, my rock, Who teaches my hands to war, And my fingers to battle:

2 My lovingkindness, my fortress, My high tower, my deliverer, My shield, and he in whom I take refuge; Who subdues my people under me.

3 LORD, what is man, that you care for him? Or the son of man, that you think of him?

4 Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.

5 Part your heavens, LORD, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

6 Throw out lightning, and scatter them. Send out your arrows, and rout them.

7 Stretch out your hand from above, Rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, Out of the hands of foreigners;

Psalms 144:1-7 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.