Salmos 144:2-12

2 Misericordia mía y mi castillo, Altura mía y mi libertador, Escudo mío, en quien he confiado; El que allana mi pueblo delante de mí.

3 Oh Jehová, ¿qué es el hombre, para que de él conozcas? ¿O el hijo del hombre, para que lo estimes?

4 El hombre es semejante á la vanidad: Sus días son como la sombra que pasa.

5 Oh Jehová, inclina tus cielos y desciende: Toca los montes, y humeen.

6 Despide relámpagos, y disípalos, Envía tus saetas, y contúrbalos.

7 Envía tu mano desde lo alto; Redímeme, y sácame de las muchas aguas, De la mano de los hijos de extraños;

8 Cuya boca habla vanidad, Y su diestra es diestra de mentira.

9 Oh Dios, á ti cantaré canción nueva: Con salterio, con decacordio cantaré á ti.

10 Tú, el que da salud á los reyes, El que redime á David su siervo de maligna espada.

11 Redímeme, y sálvame de mano de los hijos extraños, Cuya boca habla vanidad, Y su diestra es diestra de mentira.

12 Que nuestros hijos sean como plantas crecidas en su juventud; Nuestras hijas como las esquinas labradas á manera de las de un palacio;

Salmos 144:2-12 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.