Psaume 144:1-11

1 Psaume de David. Béni soit l'Éternel, mon rocher, qui dresse mes mains au combat et mes doigts à la bataille!

2 Mon bienfaiteur et ma forteresse, ma haute retraite et mon libérateur, mon bouclier et celui vers qui je me retire; celui qui range mon peuple sous moi!

3 Éternel, qu'est-ce que l'homme, que tu aies soin de lui? et le fils de l'homme que tu en tiennes compte?

4 L'homme est semblable à un souffle; ses jours sont comme l'ombre qui passe.

5 Éternel, abaisse tes cieux et descends; touche les montagnes, et qu'elles fument!

6 Fais briller l'éclair, et disperse-les; lance tes flèches, et les mets en déroute!

7 Étends tes mains d'en haut, délivre-moi, et me retire des grandes eaux, de la main du fils de l'étranger;

8 Dont la bouche profère le mensonge, et dont la droite est une droite trompeuse.

9 O Dieu, je te chanterai un cantique nouveau; je te célébrerai sur la lyre à dix cordes,

10 Toi qui donnes la délivrance aux rois, qui sauves David, ton serviteur, de l'épée meurtrière.

11 Délivre-moi, et me retire de la main des fils de l'étranger, dont la bouche profère le mensonge, et dont la droite est une droite trompeuse.

Psaume 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.