Salmi 144:1-9

1 Salmo di Davide. Benedetto sia l’Eterno, la mia ròcca, che ammaestra le mie mani alla pugna e le mie dita alla battaglia;

2 ch’è il mio benefattore e la mia fortezza, il mio alto ricetto, e il mio liberatore il mio scudo, colui nel quale mi rifugio, che mi rende soggetto il mio popolo.

3 O Eterno, che cos’è l’uomo, che tu ne prenda conoscenza? o il figliuol dell’uomo che tu ne tenga conto?

4 L’uomo è simile a un soffio, i suoi giorni son come l’ombra che passa.

5 O Eterno, abbassa i tuoi cieli e scendi; tocca i monti e fa’ che fumino.

6 Fa’ guizzare il lampo e disperdi i miei nemici. Lancia le tue saette, e mettili in rotta.

7 Stendi le tue mani dall’alto, salvami e liberami dalle grandi acque, dalla mano degli stranieri,

8 la cui bocca parla menzogna, e la cui destra è destra di frode.

9 O Dio, a te canterò un nuovo cantico; sul saltèro a dieci corde a te salmeggerò,

Salmi 144:1-9 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.